Nightly Beer Could Lower Sperm Quality

That Nightly Beer Could Lower Sperm Quality - Sharecare

Guys, it’s time to reconsider cracking open a cold one after a long day of work. It turns out that even moderate alcohol consumption could lower sperm count and quality in healthy, young men, according to a study.

The large study, published in BMJ Open in 2015, recruited 1,221 Danish men aged 18-28 who underwent a required physical exam for military service. The men were asked about recent alcohol use, how much they drink in a typical week and how often they binge drink (that is, consume more than five drinks a day). Doctors also measured their sperm counts and levels of reproductive hormones, such as testosterone.

The verdict: The more the men drank, the worse their sperm, both in terms of quality and number. While the association was most pronounced in men consuming more than 25 units a week, an effect was also seen in men who had as little as five units a week. A unit is considered a beer, glass of wine or a shot of liquor. Interestingly, binge drinking or alcohol use in the preceding week didn’t appear to affect semen quality.

Sure, the usual advice from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans says moderate alcohol consumption is up to two drinks a day for men, but these findings suggest that if you want healthy swimmers, you should consume even less. Bottom line: If you’re interested in having kids, watch your alcohol intake.