Association between environmental exposure to cadmium and human semen quality

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal with toxicant to reproductive functions. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of environmental exposure to Cd on human semen quality. A total of 587 men from the general population, aged from 20 to 59 years old, and without occupational exposure to Cd were recruited from three provinces in China to participate in the study. The median of serum Cd was 1.9 μg/L (P25–P75:1.1–2.9). In case Cd was less than or equal to 6.3 μg/L (P95) and the semen parameters were logarithmically transformed, the inverse associations between Cd and semen volume (− 0.03 ± 0.007), progressive motility (− 0.01 ± 0.004), and sperm morphology (− 0.04 ± 0.004) were found across the whole group, after adjusting for age group, occupation, season of semen sample collection, abstinence intervals, smoking, alcohol drinking, and body mass index. Our findings indicate that higher Cd may reduce the semen volume, progressive motility, and morphology among men without occupational exposure to Cd.