Male infertility and somatic health - insights into lipid damage as a mechanistic link

An association between infertility and poor somatic health exists, and infertility could be used as an indicator of a future pathological condition. However, the bidirectional relationship between infertility and poor health needs to be elucidated. In this Perspective, the authors discuss current advances and gaps in this area, focusing on lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage as potential molecular links between infertility and somatic health. Over the past decade, mounting evidence has shown an alarming association between male subfertility and poor somatic health, with substantial evidence supporting the increased incidence of oncological disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders and autoimmune diseases in men who have previously received a subfertility diagnosis. This paradigm is concerning, but might also provide a novel window for a crucial health reform in which the infertile phenotype could serve as an indication of potential pathological conditions. One of the major limiting factors in this association is the poor understanding of the molecular features that link infertility with comorbidities across the life course. Enzymes involved in the lipid oxidation process might provide novel clues to reconcile the mechanistic basis of infertility with incident pathological conditions. Building research capacity in this area is essential to enhance the early detection of disease states and provide crucial information about the disease risk of offspring conceived through assisted reproduction.