TEHRAN- In a new study, scientists in Royan Research Institute investigated the effects of diet and physical activity on male reproductive cells.  

Concern about male reproductive health has grown in recent years to become a major preoccupation in some developed countries. A possible decline in human sperm concentration was suggested in the early seventies following studies in the U.S.

According to Health Line, infertility affects about one in every six couples, and researchers estimate about one in every three cases is due to fertility problems in the male partner alone. 
Semen quality and male fertility depends on a variety of factors including age, environment, lifestyle, physical activity, genetic background and occupation. 

But which one is more important, diet or physical activity? 

To answer the question, researchers in Royan Institute examined the effect of aerobic exercise, low?fat and high?fat diet on the testis tissue and sperm parameters in obese and nonobese mice model. 

Testicular morphometric characteristics, sperm concentration and motility, sperm morphology, lipid peroxidation and chromatin were compared within obese groups and nonobese groups. 

Both exercise and diet interventions did not show any change in testicular morphological characteristics, sperm morphology and DNA fragmentation within both obese and nonobese groups.

However, exercise and/or diet resulted in a significant increase in sperm concentration and motility within both groups. 

Exercise in both groups led to high percentage of lipid peroxidation. Exercise intervention significantly improved sperm protamine deficiency within obese group. 

It was concluded that exercise intervention was more effective than diet in improvement of sperm function within obese groups.

SJ/MG