Lifestyle: an underrated but potentially important influencing factor on semen quality

Lifestyle factors play a crucial role in the influence of semen quality, and they are especially significant in the context of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical treatment for poor semen quality. TCM theory emphasizes the importance of healthy lifestyle habits for overall well-being. Therefore, it is essential to consider lifestyle factors in the clinical management of TCM and semen quality. Lifestyle can act as a bias factor that affects research quality, making it vital to pay special attention to its impact in clinical trial research on male semen quality. This article aims to improve the quality and design of clinical research on male sperm quality by examining the effects of various lifestyle factors on semen quality, including physical activities, dietary patterns, smoking, alcohol consumption, coffee intake, sleep, and psychological stress. Each lifestyle factor has its own distinct influence on semen quality, and there is a synergistic effect when multiple lifestyle factors are combined. These findings emphasize the need for careful consideration of lifestyle factors and their interactions in the design and implementation of TCM clinical trial research.