Review on effects of obesity on male reproductive system and the role of natural products

Abstract

Obesity is a major complex disease caused by the interaction of a myriad of genetic, dietary, lifestyle, and environmental factors that lead to increased body fat mass. Over the years, it has grown to pandemic proportions affecting many children, adolescents, and young adults exposed to this disorder for a longer period. Overactivity of aromatase cytochrome P450 enzyme which leads to increases of estrogen disrupting the hypothalamus-pituitary axis, leptin secretion in testicular tissues, scrotal temperature, adipocytes' environmental toxins/other toxic species, and vascular endothelial dysfunction have been implicated in obesity. The use of natural products and their derivatives has been historically valuable as sources of therapeutic agents in the treatment of several metabolic disorders including obesity. This review aims at looking the effect of natural products on obesity at pre-testicular, testicular, and posttesticular levels of the male reproductive system which will be discussed.