Association between seminal and serum iron parameters and male infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

IF 3 4区医学 Q3 ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM

Aging Male Pub Date : 2026-12-31 Epub Date: 2026-08-20 DOI:10.1080/13685538.2026.2719882

Yannan Jiao, Yanlun Song, Jin Zhang, Yi Wei, Junli Wang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Iron is an essential trace element for normal spermatogenesis, yet excessive iron accumulation may impair male fertility. Preliminary studies imply a link between elevated iron levels and male infertility, but evidence remains limited without systematic quantitative synthesis. This metaanalysis assessed the association between iron concentrations and male infertility.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, CBM, CNKI and Cochrane Library. RevMan, Stata and R were used for data analysis. Randomeffects models pooled effect sizes, with forest and funnel plots generated to evaluate seminal and serum iron levels in male infertility.

Results: After screening studies published up to April 2025, a total of ten eligible articles involving 985 participants were finally included in this meta-analysis. Pooled results revealed that seminal and serum iron concentrations were notably higher in infertile males compared with fertile controls. Specifically, infertile men presented higher seminal iron levels (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.12-0.76, P < 0.05), as well as elevated serum iron levels (SMD = 3.77, 95% CI: 1.68-5.87, P < 0.05). The present results suggest that increased seminal and serum iron concentrations may be potentially correlated with male infertility risk.

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精液和血清铁参数与男性不育症的关系：一项系统综述和荟萃分析。

背景：铁是正常精子发生所必需的微量元素，但过量的铁积累可能会损害男性的生育能力。初步研究表明铁水平升高与男性不育之间存在联系，但证据仍然有限，缺乏系统的定量综合。这项荟萃分析评估了铁浓度与男性不育之间的关系。方法：系统检索PubMed、CBM、CNKI、Cochrane Library。使用RevMan、Stata和R进行数据分析。随机效应模型汇集了效应大小，生成了森林图和漏斗图，以评估男性不育患者的精液和血清铁水平。结果：在筛选到2025年4月发表的研究后，共有10篇符合条件的文章，涉及985名受试者，最终被纳入本荟萃分析。综合结果显示，不育雄性的精液和血清铁浓度明显高于可育对照组。具体来说，不育男性的精液铁含量较高(SMD = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.12-0.76， P

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来源期刊

Aging Male 医学-泌尿学与肾脏学

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

3.80%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： The Aging Male , the official journal of the International Society for the Study of the Aging Male, is a multidisciplinary publication covering all aspects of male health throughout the aging process. The Journal is a well-recognized and respected resource for anyone interested in keeping up to date with developments in this field. It is published quarterly in one volume per year. The Journal publishes original peer-reviewed research papers as well as review papers and other appropriate educational material that provide researchers with an integrated perspective on this new, emerging specialty. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Diagnosis and treatment of late-onset hypogonadism Metabolic syndrome and related conditions Treatment of erectile dysfunction and related disorders Prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.