You’ve heard of the gut microbiome, and probably skin microbiome, but did you know there’s also a semen microbiome – and that it could affect fertility?

That is the finding of a recent study by the department of urology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Microbiome refers to the collection of microbes – bacteria, fungi and viruses – that affect human health. While there have been many studies into the microbiomes found in the digestive system and on the skin, there has been less focus on the reproductive systems, particularly in men.

However, the UCLA team found that one microbe in particular, the bacteria Lactobacillus…