Massive Weight Loss Obtained by Bariatric Surgery Affects Semen Quality in Morbid Male Obesity: a Preliminary Prospective Double-Armed Study

Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of massive weight loss on the seminal parameters at 6 months from bariatric surgery. Design Two-armed prospective study performed in 31 morbidly obese men, undergoing laparoscopic roux-en-Y-gastric bypass ( n = 23) or non-operated ( n = 8), assessing sex hormones, conventional (sperm motility, morphology, number, semen volume), and non-conventional (DNA fragmentation and seminal interleukin-8), semen parameters, at baseline and after 6 months from surgery or patients’ recruitment. Results In operated patients only, a statistically significant improvement in the sex hormones was confirmed. Similarly, a positive trend in the progressive/total sperm motility and number was observed, though only the increase in semen volume and viability was statistically significant (Δ = 0.6 ml and 10%, P