A new study suggests that sugary drinks may have a negative effect on sperm motility, according to Live Science.

According to the research, high intake of sugar-sweetened drinks among men was correlated to low sperm motility, or sperm movement. However, this only applied to healthy and lean men. Based on the results, no connection was found between an overweight males' intake of sugary drinks and sperm motility.

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The study collected data from 189 male participants aged 18 to 22 living in New York. The 189 participants were asked to undergo a physical exam, fill out a survey about their health habits and provide a semen sample.

In the survey, respondents were asked to measure the number of high sugar drinks they consumed per day over the past 12 months.

Head researcher and Harvard professor of nutrition and epidemiology Jorge Chavarro learned that out of the top 25 percent of men who consumed the most amounts of sugared drinks per day, only the healthy and lean men were found to have a 6.3 percent lower sperm motility compared to their counterparts who consumed less of the sugary drinks.

No effect was observed on the sperm concentration, shape or volume.

And while numerous studies have shown that weight can have a negative effect on sperm production, it was discovered that high consumption of sugared drinks did not affect sperm motility of overweight or obese men.

Moreover, analysis of the sperm found that high intake of sugared beverages was linked to a lower rate of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The FSH is a reproductive hormone mainly responsible for the development and regulation of the body's reproductive processes. In males, the FSH is responsible for sperm production.

The study learned that men who consumed a high amount of sugar-sweetened drinks per day had lower levels of FSH. This effect was found in both lean and overweight men.

Scientists who conducted the research said that deeper analysis on intake of sugar-sweetened drinks is needed to determine its effects of human fertility.

Chavarro's study is expected to be published in the May edition of the journal, Human Reproduction.

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