Aging👴🏻a is a combination of irreversible changes that can be observed over time in all eukaryotic organisms🦠 at the level of molecules, cells, tissues, organs🫁 and systems. The reproductive capacity of both men and women decreases with age. Compared to women, the decline in male reproductive capacity is less pronounced and it is believed that men can be reproductively active throughout their lives. The importance of maternal age has been studied many times in the literature. The influence of fathers' age on reproduction is little known👀.
Semen quality changes with age. Daily production, total number and viability of sperm decreases with age📈. In men over the age of 50, daily sperm production decreases by around 30%.
One of the reasons for aging is oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidant capacity. Free radicals are reactive 💥 chemical substances containing an unpaired valence electron. This makes them highly reactive towards carbohydrates🍬, lipids🥓, proteins🥩, nucleic acids🧬 and other cellular molecules. Free radicals are produced in the body under normal conditions or can be caused by external sources, e.g. radiation, herbicides, cigarette smoking🚬, chronic stress, excess alcohol🥂 and drugs or polluted air💨. In the mitochondria (energy factories), oxygen is converted into highly reactive oxygen molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS). Low and medium concentrations of ROS are important in the body for defense🤺 against infections. However, high concentrations of ROS lead to various cellular damages. The sperm membrane is composed of a large amount of fatty acids, which are the primary targets of oxidative stress. Other targets are structural proteins and nucleic acids.
Age-related changes lead to gradual changes in spermatogenesis (sperm production) and hormone levels in men. As a result of these changes, there is a decrease in the quality and quantity (number) of sperm. However, some studies have shown that obesity🥓, lack of exercise🛋, and age-related diseases have a greater effect on testosterone decline than aging. The effects of aging on the male reproductive system are quite complex and are controlled by both normal physiological processes and environmental factors🌍.
Verra team💕