News | Low phosphate levels may be a hidden contributor to male infertility, study suggests a potential new treatment direction
In many unexplained cases of male infertility, an overlooked mineral—phosphate—may play an important role.
At this year’s first joint meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) in The Hague, researchers from the University of Copenhagen-affiliated Herlev Hospital and Rigshospitalet presented a new study showing that low blood phosphate was significantly associated with reduced sperm motility.
Low phosphate found in 36% of men with infertility, far above the general population
The study analyzed blood and semen samples from 1,242 Danish adult men diagnosed with infertility. It found clinically significant hypophosphatemia in 36%, compared with only 2–4% of Danish men in the general population. Notably, men with mildly low phosphate had significantly lower sperm motility and progressive motility than men with normal levels.
‘For the first time, we have confirmed that low phosphate is much more common among men with infertility than in the general population,’ said lead researcher and endocrinologist Dr. Sam Kafai Yahyavi. ‘This may mean that phosphate is not only important for bone health but may also be directly involved in sperm function and testicular activity.’
Phosphate may affect hormones as well as sperm
The study also found slightly higher estradiol levels in men with low phosphate, although this association is still being investigated. No significant association was observed between phosphate and sperm count, suggesting that phosphate may affect sperm quality more than quantity.
‘Although this study cannot yet prove that low phosphate directly causes infertility, the biological association opens a new avenue for understanding impaired male fertility,’ Dr. Yahyavi said.
Phosphate concentration in semen is 20 times higher than in blood, offering clues to a key regulatory mechanism
In a parallel study, the team further examined phosphate distribution and transport in the male reproductive system. It found that phosphate concentration in the semen of healthy men was more than 20 times higher than in blood. This suggests that the reproductive system may actively regulate phosphate accumulation through specific mechanisms that support testicular function and hormone production.
‘This is truly exciting,’ said doctoral researcher Zhihui Cui. ‘We are looking for the key factors that regulate phosphate transport within the testes and examining how they affect male fertility.’
Next step: Clinical intervention trial may establish phosphate as a new treatment strategy
‘We will launch a clinical intervention trial,’ Dr. Yahyavi announced. ‘By supplementing phosphate in men, we will observe its effects on sperm motility, testosterone levels, and overall fertility. This intervention may apply not only to men but potentially to women as well.’
With global sperm counts having declined by half over the past 50 years and 15% of heterosexual couples experiencing infertility, the finding may offer clinicians a simple and potentially effective target for intervention.
News | Low phosphate levels may be a hidden contributor to male infertility, study suggests a potential new treatment direction
News | Low phosphate levels may be a hidden contributor to male infertility, study suggests a potential new treatment direction
In many unexplained cases of male infertility, an overlooked mineral—phosphate—may play an important role.
At this year’s first joint meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) in The Hague, researchers from the University of Copenhagen-affiliated Herlev Hospital and Rigshospitalet presented a new study showing that low blood phosphate was significantly associated with reduced sperm motility.
Low phosphate found in 36% of men with infertility, far above the general population
The study analyzed blood and semen samples from 1,242 Danish adult men diagnosed with infertility. It found clinically significant hypophosphatemia in 36%, compared with only 2–4% of Danish men in the general population. Notably, men with mildly low phosphate had significantly lower sperm motility and progressive motility than men with normal levels.
‘For the first time, we have confirmed that low phosphate is much more common among men with infertility than in the general population,’ said lead researcher and endocrinologist Dr. Sam Kafai Yahyavi. ‘This may mean that phosphate is not only important for bone health but may also be directly involved in sperm function and testicular activity.’
Phosphate may affect hormones as well as sperm
The study also found slightly higher estradiol levels in men with low phosphate, although this association is still being investigated. No significant association was observed between phosphate and sperm count, suggesting that phosphate may affect sperm quality more than quantity.
‘Although this study cannot yet prove that low phosphate directly causes infertility, the biological association opens a new avenue for understanding impaired male fertility,’ Dr. Yahyavi said.
Phosphate concentration in semen is 20 times higher than in blood, offering clues to a key regulatory mechanism
In a parallel study, the team further examined phosphate distribution and transport in the male reproductive system. It found that phosphate concentration in the semen of healthy men was more than 20 times higher than in blood. This suggests that the reproductive system may actively regulate phosphate accumulation through specific mechanisms that support testicular function and hormone production.
‘This is truly exciting,’ said doctoral researcher Zhihui Cui. ‘We are looking for the key factors that regulate phosphate transport within the testes and examining how they affect male fertility.’
Next step: Clinical intervention trial may establish phosphate as a new treatment strategy
‘We will launch a clinical intervention trial,’ Dr. Yahyavi announced. ‘By supplementing phosphate in men, we will observe its effects on sperm motility, testosterone levels, and overall fertility. This intervention may apply not only to men but potentially to women as well.’
With global sperm counts having declined by half over the past 50 years and 15% of heterosexual couples experiencing infertility, the finding may offer clinicians a simple and potentially effective target for intervention.
Source:
Collected online