Semen News and Research

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Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that usually contains spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova. The process of discharge is called ejaculation.

Healthy diet, healthier sperm, greater fertility

A new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open in February 2020 reports that Danish men who followed a healthy diet had the highest total sperm counts, and a better hormonal profile concerning hormonal regulators of fertility, compared to those on a Western or other less healthy types of diet.

23 Feb 2020

Sperm microbiome revealed with RNA sequencing

A new study reports the first-ever detailed description of the human sperm microbiome, using newer RNA sequencing techniques that are capable of discriminating between sperm RNA and that of bacterial contamination or colonization.

2 Feb 2020

Researchers locate specific mutation in the gene responsible for Chédiak-Higashi syndrome

Humans and animals are made up of trillions of cells, and each cell contains DNA specific to that individual. Therefore, identifying DNA that causes genetic disorders gives researchers and clinicians a better understanding of how to treat inherited diseases and possibly prevent the diseases from being passed down to future generations.

30 Jan 2020

Robotic search for drugs that block sperm motility

The hunt for the first male contraceptive pill is on, and scientists at Dundee University may have the needed tool to find it – a robotic screening system.

29 Jan 2020

Fish oil supplements could benefit testicular function in healthy men finds study

A large Danish study has shown that fish oil supplements taken by healthy men of the reproductive age could help improve their testicular function as is evidenced by their semen quality and reproductive hormone levels. The study led by researcher Tina Kodd Jensen, titled, “Associations of Fish Oil Supplement Use With Testicular Function in Young Men,” was published this week in the latest issue of the JAMA.

19 Jan 2020

Microbiomes may have considerable impact on animal fertility and reproduction

It is an awkward idea, but a couple's ability to have kids may partly depend on who else is present. The reproductive tracts of males and females contain whole communities of micro-organisms.

17 Jan 2020

New study finds zinc and folic acid supplements are ineffective at improving male fertility

A study has revealed that taking zinc and folic acid supplements do not improve male fertility as has previously been suspected.

8 Jan 2020

Zinc and folic acid supplements fail to improve fertility in men

Zinc and folic acid, a pair of dietary supplements long touted as an effective treatment for male infertility, failed to improve pregnancy rates, sperm counts, and sperm potency in a new study conducted at University of Utah Health and other medical centers in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health.

7 Jan 2020

Penn researchers track defective sperm epigenome linked to male infertility

One out of eight couples has trouble conceiving, with nearly a quarter of those cases caused by unexplained male infertility. For the past decade, research has linked that infertility to defective sperm that fail to "evict" proteins called histones from DNA during development.

16 Dec 2019

Important discovery about male infertility could lead to new treatments

Using a new mouse model, Penn Medicine researchers have identified defects in the sperm epigenome that cause male infertility.

16 Dec 2019

Transplant patient finds out his DNA has been replaced by that of his donor

A bone marrow transplant recipient later found out that the DNA in his blood and semen had been replaced by that of his donor.

10 Dec 2019

Fertilization discovery reveals egg's role, potentially paves way for new contraceptive

An unexpected discovery about fertilization from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reveals new insights on how sperm and egg fuse and could have major implications for couples battling infertility – and may lead to a future male contraceptive.

13 Nov 2019

Study finds fewer new cases of HCV in HIV-negative men who have sex with PrEP-using men

Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – found fewer new cases of hepatitis C infection (commonly called HCV), despite very high rates of other sexually-transmitted infections, in HIV-negative men who have sex with men who take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatments.

10 Nov 2019

Review: Clitoris is important for reproduction

A recent review published in Clinical Anatomy highlights evidence that the female clitoris is important for reproduction.

6 Nov 2019

Scientists receive $1.6 million grant to study impact of phthalate exposure on male fertility

A cross-disciplinary team of scientists, led by University of Massachusetts Amherst environmental epigeneticist Richard Pilsner, will use a three-year, $1.6 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to expand research into the impact of phthalate exposure on male fertility.

30 Oct 2019

Simple diet supplement from tomatoes can improve sperm quality

Sperm quality can be improved with a simple diet supplement containing a compound found in cooked tomatoes, according to new research by the University of Sheffield.

8 Oct 2019

Study shows association between mushroom consumption and lower risk of prostate cancer

Results from the first long-term cohort study of more than 36,000 Japanese men over decades suggest an association between eating mushrooms and a lower risk of prostate cancer.

7 Oct 2019

Study shows miRNAs in semen as non-invasive biomarkers for prostate cancer

Researchers of the Human Molecular Genetics group at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, led by Dr. Sara Larriba, in collaboration with Dr. Francesc Vigués and Dr. Manel Castells of the Urology Service of Bellvitge University Hospital, show the usefulness of certain molecules, the miRNAs in semen, as non-invasive biomarkers for prostate cancer.

26 Sep 2019

Regular consumption of nuts improves sexual function

Researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona/Spain) and the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute have found that consuming 60 grams of nuts a day improves sexual function.

24 Jul 2019

Receptor in the uterus can detect sperm molecule, aids in sperm survival

Why does it take 200 million sperms to fertilize a single egg? The single sperm that reached the finished line has successfully survived multiple checkpoints within the female reproductive tract, dubbed as pre-fertilization events. Now, a new study shows that the uterus contains receptors that facilitate sperm survival.

19 Jul 2019