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Male Sexual and Reproductive Health: Clinical Aspects, Metabolic Profile, Environmental Factors and Lifestyle: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Reproductive Medicine & Andrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 1332

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
AIED Center for Reproductive Medicine, Via Toscana 30, Rome, Italy
Interests: erectile dysfunction; sexual function; hypogonadism; infertility; semen analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to invite you to contribute to the Special Issue entitled “Male Sexual and Reproductive Health: Clinical Aspects, Metabolic Profile, Environmental Factors and Lifestyle: 2nd Edition”. This is a new volume; we published 12 papers in the first volume. For more details, please visit: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jcm/special_issues/70RF05449G.

Male sexual and reproductive health is an important issue worldwide. Approximately 20–30% of adult men have at least one sexual dysfunction (SD). Among these, erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) are the most frequent. In addition, couple infertility, which is defined as the inability to conceive after at least 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, affects 15–20% of couples worldwide.

Alongside aging and organic causes, i.e., vasculogenic, neurogenic, endocrinological (as hypogonadism and hyperprolactinemia), metabolic (diabetes and dyslipidemia), osteoporosis, etc., also psychological causes could impair sexual and reproductive health.

In addition, also incorrect lifestyle (i.e., psychological stress, inadequate physical activity, caffeine and smoking abuse, high scrotal temperature, prolonged mobile telephone use, etc.), occupational/environmental factors, and nutritional habits could play an important role both in the development of SD as well as infertility.

The investigation of all these aspects could be useful to ameliorate the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the patients.

Therefore, this Special Issue will explore SD and infertility etiology, comorbidity, and management based on a combination of original research and review papers.

Topics will include the epidemiology, causes, diagnosis, and treatments of SD and infertility and the role of lifestyle, nutritional habits, and occupational and environmental factors on sexual and reproductive health.

Dr. Fernando Mazzilli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • male sexual dysfunction
  • reproductive health
  • erectile dysfunction
  • premature ejaculation
  • infertility
  • epidemiology
  • causes
  • diagnosis
  • treatments
  • environmental factors
  • lifestyle

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 582 KB  
Article
Insomnia and Benzodiazepine Use as Risk Factors for Erectile Dysfunction: Clinical Evidence and In Silico Analysis of Physicochemical Properties
by Valeria Navarrete-Anaya, Iván Delgado-Enciso, Gustavo A. Hernández-Fuentes, Janet Diaz-Martinez, Osiris G. Delgado-Enciso, Ana Sánchez-Arizmendi, Alejandro Figueroa-Gutiérrez, José Aguilar-Cota, Jesús Venegas-Ramírez, Patricia Calvo-Soto, Karla B. Carrazco-Peña, Mercedes Fuentes-Murguia, Mónica Ríos-Silva and José Guzmán-Esquivel
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(19), 6951; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14196951 - 1 Oct 2025
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent and multifactorial condition influenced by psychological and sleep-related factors. This study aimed to evaluate the independent and combined associations of insomnia and benzodiazepine use with the risk of ED. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent and multifactorial condition influenced by psychological and sleep-related factors. This study aimed to evaluate the independent and combined associations of insomnia and benzodiazepine use with the risk of ED. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in adult men with and without ED. Logistic regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs). Effect modification was assessed through stratified analyses. Additionally, an in silico analysis of 17 active compounds was performed using SwissADME and Molinspiration to explore physicochemical properties. Results: Insomnia (adjusted OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.13–3.74; p = 0.019) and benzodiazepine use (adjusted OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.10–4.15; p = 0.025) were each independently associated with ED. In contrast, antidepressant use was not significantly associated with ED in the sample analyzed. Participants with both insomnia and benzodiazepine use had a markedly higher risk (adjusted OR 3.96; 95% CI 1.51–10.40; p = 0.005). The joint association of insomnia and benzodiazepine use was consistent with the combined effect expected from their individual associations. The in silico analysis showed an overlapping profile, suggesting benzodiazepine properties may underline their link to ED, supporting the results of the cross-sectional study. Conclusions: Both insomnia and benzodiazepine use independently increased the odds of ED. Their co-occurrence was linked to a substantially higher likelihood of ED, highlighting the clinical importance of assessing both conditions concurrently in patients with sexual dysfunction. Full article
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Review

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15 pages, 1249 KB  
Review
Effects of Phytocannabinoids on Reproductive System and Prenatal Development: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications
by Michał Wesołowski, Aleksandra Sobaś, Kamil Biedka, Jakub Karwacki, Jakub Bulski, Katarzyna Błaszczyk, Kacper Żełabowski, Oliwia Ziobro, Filip Jacek Maj, Karol Sornat, Agata Estreicher, Anna Klasa, Andrzej Dłubak and Tadeusz Sebzda
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(18), 6494; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14186494 - 15 Sep 2025
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Abstract
Cannabis is one of the most studied psychoactive substances due to its increasing prevalence and evolving legal status. Of particular concern is the rising consumption among young individuals, where excessive use may disrupt reproductive processes and pose long-term health risks to offspring. This [...] Read more.
Cannabis is one of the most studied psychoactive substances due to its increasing prevalence and evolving legal status. Of particular concern is the rising consumption among young individuals, where excessive use may disrupt reproductive processes and pose long-term health risks to offspring. This narrative review examines the effects of cannabis use on male and female reproductive health, including its impact on male fertility, the female reproductive system, placental function, and prenatal and postnatal outcomes, as well as fetal development. A nonsystematic review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases in November 2024. After screening titles and abstracts and the full-text analysis, 64 studies were included in this narrative review. In men, cannabinoids can interfere with spermatogenesis, reduce sperm motility and quality, and lower testosterone levels, as demonstrated in clinical and experimental studies. In women, cannabinoid-induced disorders include negative effects on ovarian follicle maturation, ovulation, placental function, and prenatal development. Prenatal exposure to cannabis is associated with the risk of reduced birth weight, birth defects, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or lactation problems due to the penetration of cannabis metabolites into breast milk. The findings highlight the potential negative effects of cannabis on reproductive health and fetal development. Given these risks, individuals attempting to conceive, and pregnant women should be advised against cannabis use. Greater awareness is needed among healthcare professionals and the public regarding the reproductive risks associated with cannabis consumption. While the evidence on teratogenic effects is not always conclusive, caution should be exercised, and further research is essential to deepen the understanding of these effects. Full article
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