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This study investigated whether disrupted circadian rhythms are associated with reduced testosterone levels and impaired male reproductive health, combining data from a large UK cohort (n = 38,562), a smaller Chinese shift worker study (n = 118), and controlled mouse experiments. In human data, lower rest-activity rhythm amplitude correlated with reduced serum testosterone and higher risks of orchitis and hydrocele, while shift work independently predicted lower testosterone levels. Animal models reinforced these findings, showing testicular atrophy, spermatogenic disorders, and suppressed testosterone alongside downregulation of steroidogenic proteins.
Why it matters
Shift work and sleep disruption affect hundreds of millions of workers globally, and these findings suggest circadian rhythm quality may be a modifiable risk factor for male fertility and hormonal health. This could inform occupational health policies and clinical guidance around sleep and reproductive medicine.
⚠️ Preprint – Noch nicht peer-reviewed
Dieser Artikel wurde noch nicht von unabhängigen Experten begutachtet. Die Ergebnisse sind vorläufig und sollten mit Vorsicht interpretiert werden.
This study aims to elucidate the association of circadian rhythm disruption with male testosterone levels and reproductive health using integrated epidemiological and experimental evidence. In the UK Biobank (n = 38,562), rest-activity rhythm amplitude was associated with lower serum testosterone levels (-0.21 nmol/L comparing the lowest vs. highest quartiles) and increased risks of orchitis and hydrocele (hazard ratios: 1.23 and 1.14, respectively). These findings were replicated in an occupational study of shift workers in China (n = 118), where shift work was independently associated with decreased testosterone levels ({beta} = -0.301, P = 0.015). In mouse models, circadian disruption induced testicular and epididymal atrophy, spermatogenic disorders, and suppressed circulating testosterone levels, accompanied by downregulation of key steroidogenic proteins. Together, these findings provide converging evidence that circadian rhythm disruption impairs testosterone synthesis, potentially through dysregulation of steroidogenesis, highlighting circadian rhythm as a modifiable environmental determinant of male reproductive health.