Sleep Deprivation and Late Bedtime Impair Sperm Health Through Increasing Antisperm Antibody Production: A Prospective Study of 981 Healthy Men.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sleep duration and bedtime on sperm health, and the possible mechanism involved. MATERIAL AND METHODS We randomly divided 981 healthy Chinese men into groups according to research-set bedtimes (A=8-10 PM, B=after 10 PM, and C=after midnight) and sleep durations: group 1=<6.0 h (short), group 2=7.0-8.0 h (average), and group 3=>9.0 h (long). Sperm morphology, count, survival, and motility were examined according to sleep patterns. Antisperm antibody (ASA) production in semen was determined. RESULTS Sperm counts and their survival rates were lower in the short sleepers as compared to others within each group (all P<0.01). The lower counts and survival rates were observed in different bedtimes, with significant differences found between measurements of C1 vs. A1 and C2 vs. A2 or B2 (all P<0.05 or 0.01). Semen motility was lower in the short sleepers as compared to the average and long sleepers (all P<0.01). There were differences in the bedtime-related results between measurements of C1 vs. A1 or B1 (P<0.05 or 0.01). Additionally, the population proportion for the ASA-positive participates and incidence of the ASA-expressed population obviously increased in the short sleepers as compared to others within each group (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Short and long sleep durations and late bedtime were associated with impaired sperm health in the study cohort, partly through increasing ASA production in the semen.

Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation enhances antihypertensive effect of ramipril in Chinese patients with obesity-related hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) refers to a group of positional and geometrical conjugated dienoic isomers of linoleic acid. Our aim was to investigate the effect of 8-week dietary CLA supplementation on blood pressure, concentrations of plasma adiponecin, leptin, and as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in obese hypertensive subjects. METHODS: Eighty obese individuals with stage 1 uncontrolled essential hypertension were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were randomized to a daily dose of 4.5 g/day CLA (nine 0.5-g capsules; a 50:50 isomer blend of c 9,t 11 and t 10,c 12 CLA) with 37.5 mg/day ramipril (group 1) or placebo with 37.5 mg/day ramipril (group 2) for 8 weeks. Baseline and endpoint systolic BP, diastolic BP, and concentrations of plasma adiponecin, leptin, angiotensinogen, and ACE activity were measured. RESULTS: Treatment with CLA significantly enhanced the reduction effect of ramipril on systolic BP and diastolic BP (P < 0.05). It also increased plasma adiponectin concentration (P < 0.05) and decreased plasma concentrations of leptin and angiotensinogen (P < 0.05); however, significant change was not observed in ACE activity. CONCLUSIONS: An 8-week long supplementation of CLA enhanced the effect of ramipril on blood pressure reduction in treated obese hypertensive patients. The antihypertensive effect of CLA might be related to the changed secretion of hypertensive adipocytokines in plasma.