You’ll have heard concerning the gut microbiome and its influence on an individual’s overall health and well-being. It seems that the identical may hold true for the semen microbiome.

In line with researchers from the Department of Urology at UCLA, the semen microbiota might play a vital role in influencing sperm parameters and enhancing male fertility. Considering recent studies highlighting the microbiome’s significance in overall human health, researchers investigated the semen microbiome to know its potential impact on male infertility. Exploring the functions of those microorganisms in semen could potentially pave the way in which for developing treatments targeted at rectifying any issues with sperm parameters.

The study found that one microbe specifically, Lactobacillus iners, could have a direct negative impact on male fertility. Researchers found that men with more of this microbe were more more likely to have issues with sperm motility. Previous research revealed that Lactobacillus iners can preferentially produce L-lactic acid, potentially resulting in a pro-inflammatory environment locally, which could adversely affect sperm motility. The study authors indicate that existing research has hinted on the link between this microbe and fertility, but many of the literature pertains to the vaginal microbiome and feminine aspects. That is the primary study to report a negative association between the microbe and male-factor fertility.

Researchers also discovered that three kinds of bacteria within the Pseudomonas group were present in patients with each normal and abnormal sperm concentrations. Microbes called Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas stutzeri were more common in patients with abnormal sperm concentrations, while Pseudomonas putida was less common in samples with abnormal sperm concentrations. Nonetheless, the findings indicate that not every member of the identical closely related group may affect fertility in the identical way, whether positively or negatively. In other words, even closely related microbes may not all the time have the identical direct correlation to fertility.

There may be way more to explore regarding the microbiome and its connection to male infertility. Nonetheless, these findings provide useful insights that may lead us in the proper direction for a deeper understanding of this correlation. Our research aligns with evidence from smaller studies and can pave the way in which for future, more comprehensive investigations to unravel the complex relationship between the semen microbiome and fertility.”

Vadim Osadchiy, resident within the Department of Urology at UCLA and lead writer of the study