To all the male readers out there, hear ye, hear ye!

For the first time scientists found that sperm from diabetic men have greater levels of DNA damage than sperm from men who do not have the disease - this DNA damage may actually affect a man's fertility.

Although the researchers found that semen volume was significantly less in diabetic men (2.6 versus 3.3 ml), there were no significant differences in sperm concentration, total sperm output, form and structure of the sperm or their ability to move; their study showed that the DNA in the nuclei of the sperm cells had greater levels of fragmentation in diabetic men (52%, versus 32% in non-diabetic men), and that there were more deletions of DNA in the tiny, energy-generating structures in the cells called mitochondria.

According to Dr Ishola Agbaje, a research fellow in the Reproductive Medicine Research Group at Queen's University, Belfast:

"As far as we know, this is the first report of the quality of DNA in the nucleus and mitochondria of sperm in diabetes. Our study identifies important evidence of increased DNA fragmentation of nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA deletions in sperm from diabetic men. These findings cause concern, as they may have implications for fertility."

The study's findings have been published online today (Thursday 3 May) in the journal Human Reproduction.

Find more details from the full report.