Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39344112›Full record

ArticleThe world journal of men's health2025

Weight Loss as Therapeutic Option to Restore Fertility in Obese Men: A Meta-Analytic Study.

Daniele Santi, Carla Greco, Arcangelo Barbonetti, Manuela Simoni, Mario Maggi, Giovanni Corona

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The world journal of men's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Daniele SantiUnit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, Modena, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6607-7105
Carla GrecoUnit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, Modena, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9675-3677
Arcangelo BarbonettiAndrology Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6888-9585
Manuela SimoniUnit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, Modena, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2133-4304
Mario MaggiEndocrinology Unit, Mario Serio Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3267-4221
Giovanni CoronaEndocrinology Unit, Azienda AUSL, Bologna, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9894-2885

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeWeight loss has been shown to significantly elevate testosterone serum levels, though the impact on semen analysis parameters and fertility remains incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of body weight loss on semen parameters in obese men. MATERIALS AND

methodsA meta-analysis was performed that included clinical trials in which a semen analysis before and after weight loss was evaluated. All strategies potentially available for weight loss were considered eligible. The primary outcome was the comparison of conventional semen analysis parameters before and after weight loss.

resultsTwelve studies were considered including 345 subjects (mean age 37.6±7.9 years; mean baseline body mass index 45.4±6.0 kg/m²). Weight loss resulted in a significant increase of sperm concentration (effect size 0.495, standard error 0.251 [0.003, 0.986], p=0.049) and progressive motility (effect size 0.567, standard error 0.372 [0.370, 0.764], p<0.001). Moreover, a significant decrease of sperm DNA fragmentation index after weight loss (effect size -0.689, standard error 0.278 [-1.123, -0.255], p=0.002) was observed.

conclusionsThis meta-analytic analysis confirmed that body weight loss may improve qualitative and quantitative sperm characteristics providing evidence for suggesting weight loss to male partners with obesity and semen analysis alteration in couples attempting conception.

Indexed as

Infertility, maleObesitySemen analysisTherapyWeight loss

Identifiers

PMID39344112
PMCPMC11937353

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.