April 27, 2024

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Child obesity will affect Leydig cell function and future fertility

Child obesity will affect Leydig cell function and future fertility



Child obesity will affect Leydig cell function and future fertility.

In recent years, with the improvement of living standards, the prevalence of obesity has increased sharply. At the same time, as people’s health awareness increases, we already know that obesity is a disease that will affect our health.

However, in daily life, our discussion of obesity and related harm is more focused on adults. For children, few people will discuss the dangers of obesity. It seems that just because obesity in children is cute, it means that this is a normal phenomenon.

But is there really no problem with childhood obesity? The latest research shows that obesity can affect children’s future fertility.

Recently, the 60th European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Conference in 2021 was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. During the meeting, Dr. Solène Rérat from the Department of Endocrinology, Angers University Hospital, France, reported on two studies that showed that compared with boys with normal weight, boys who were overweight or obese during adolescence had significantly lower levels of the reproductive hormones testosterone and inhibin b. After 12 weeks of weight intervention for weight loss, testosterone and inhibin b levels can return to normal.

In this regard, Dr. Rérat said, “Our research shows that childhood obesity is an important factor in future fertility problems. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that early interventions for childhood obesity be carried out to reverse the harm caused by obesity, especially to prevent future reproductive problems. .”

The victims of obesity are not just adults

In fact, just like adults, obesity can cause a series of damage to children’s bodies.

Studies have found that obese children are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic changes, orthopedic complications and psychological disorders, such as low self-esteem, anxiety, social isolation and poor academic performance.

At the same time, obese children may also experience abnormalities in the liver, reproductive system, and brain, as well as increased blood pressure, impaired glucose and lipid metabolism, and sleep apnea.

Especially it can lead to psychological problems. Obese children are easily ridiculed and bullied by others in school social life due to image problems, making children withdrawn, alienated from others, low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.

Over time, obese children will have behavioral and cognitive barriers. This adverse effect on the psychological character often potentially affects the child’s normal physical and mental development.

In addition, since it is more difficult to reverse obesity, many children’s adolescent obesity will continue to be adult obesity or even lifelong obesity. I believe many readers have also experienced the pain of losing weight.

Therefore, it is very necessary for parents of obese children to intervene in time to let their children lose weight scientifically, eat a reasonable diet, and maintain healthy living habits.

Obesity also affects children’s future fertility

As we all know, obesity not only affects people’s health, but also affects reproductive function, especially men.

Studies have shown that the incidence of erectile dysfunction in obese or overweight people has increased by 70%-95% compared to people of normal weight, and the risk of erectile dysfunction in obese people is 1.62 times higher than that of people of normal weight. At the same time, obesity can lead to hypogonadism in men, increase estrogen levels, lower testosterone levels, and reduce gonadal axis function, thereby reducing libido and sperm quality.

However, although the effects of obesity on fertility have been discovered in adult men, whether these changes will occur in obese children has not yet been clearly assessed.

To this end, between 2010 and 2018, Dr. Solène Rérat recruited a total of 351 overweight or obese boys aged 5-19 for research. Through the systematic analysis of these children’s insulin levels, glucose tolerance, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, anti-Mullerian hormone, inhibin B, testosterone, estradiol and other components, and with 652 similar age and weight The normal boy compares.

The results found that compared with boys of normal weight, overweight or obese boys had significantly lower levels of inhibin B and testosterone during puberty. Correspondingly, the functions of Leydig cells that promote the differentiation and development of reproductive organs, the development and maintenance of male secondary sexual characteristics, spermatogenesis, stimulate libido and maintain sexual function are also significantly reduced.

This means that obesity will not only affect the reproductive function of adult males, but also significantly reduce the reproductive capacity of children.

Subsequently, in another study, Dr. Solène Rérat also recruited 34 obese boys between the ages of 10 and 18 for a 12-week obesity intervention program, and repeated measurements of the above indicators at baseline and at the end of the intervention.

It was found that after these children lost weight, their testosterone levels increased significantly, and the increased amount was significantly correlated with the amount of fat loss. In other words, the effect of obesity on the function of children’s Leydig cells is reversible.

This study shows that in addition to a series of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, metabolic diseases and psychological problems caused by childhood obesity, it also significantly affects their reproductive ability. Therefore, for the health of children, we should strive to help obese children develop a healthy lifestyle.

Reference materials:

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/928960
https://abstracts.eurospe.org/hrp/0094/hrp0094p2-200
https://abstracts.eurospe.org/hrp/0094/hrp0094p2-193

Child obesity will affect Leydig cell function and future fertility

(source:internet, reference only)


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