With the global decline of sperm quality in recent decades and more and more couples seeking IVF treatment to conceive, understanding the causes of sub-fertility has become a pressing matter.
Researchers from the Infertility and Reproduction Program at Australia’s Hunter Medical Research Institute have now identified a connection between a metabolic process that occurs in both poor quality sperm and other diseases, suggesting that the former may not be an isolated health problem.
The process—known as lipid peroxidation—involves free radicals attacking unsaturated fatty acids in lipid membranes, leading to the degradation of lipids and cell damage.
These free radicals, otherwise known as reactive oxygen species (ROS), are formed through enzymatic or other reactions internally, whereas external sources include ionizing radiation, ultraviolet rays, tobacco smoke, infections, environmental toxins, pesticide exposure, and poor diet….