A lack of oxygen during sleep isn't just a problem for the lungs or the brain – it may also impact testicular function.
A small prospective study has now found that while obstructive sleep apnea is not associated with erectile dysfunction, it is associated with poorer sperm quality.
When researchers compared 72 reproductive-aged men with untreated sleep apnea to 22 healthy controls, they found that patients with a sleep disorder demonstrated a significantly lower semen volume.
Their semen also contained fewer sperm capable of swimming forward, and it showed elevated levels of several inflammatory markers.
The findings, published in Sleep Medicine, suggest that disrupted sleep and a lack of oxygen at nighttime may be linked to higher sperm immobility.
This may or may not affect a person's ability to conceive, but as the study authors point out, these measures are "key determinants of male reproductive potential."
The good news is that when 25 participants in the study were treated with a CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), they began to show improvements in progressive sperm motility as early as 1 month later.
"CPAP therapy is accompanied by longitudinal improvements in sperm motility," the authors explain, "suggesting that evaluation for sleep-disordered breathing may be considered an exploratory assessment in men presenting with unexplained semen abnormalities."
