In a nutshell
This study looked at the effect of an antioxidant supplement on men with infertility. It found that after taking the supplement men had improved sperm concentration, motility, and amount of DNA damage.
Some background
Male infertility contributes to half of all infertility cases. It is believed that oxidative stress contributes to male infertility. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants. ROS are molecules that cause chemical changes. ROS can reduce sperm motility and their ability to fertilize eggs. They can also cause sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF). This is damage to the genetic material of the sperm. SDF makes pregnancy less likely and can increase the risk of miscarriage.
Antioxidants are molecules that can neutralize ROS. Carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and vitamins C and E are examples of antioxidants. Some studies have found that antioxidant supplements can improve male infertility. It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of male antioxidant supplements for male infertility.
Methods & findings
This study included 148 men with infertility. They took the supplement ‘FH PRO for Men’ for three months. This includes a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants such as L-carnitine, zinc, CoQ10, and lycopene.
119 of the patients had abnormal semen parameters. For these patients, sperm concentration was significantly higher after treatment (16.4 vs. 25.5 million/mL). The proportion of sperm that could move in a straight line increased significantly (2.3% vs. 5.6%), as did the number which appeared normal under a microscope (2.2% vs. 4.1%). The proportion of sperm with SDF damage improved significantly (43.0% vs. 37.1%).
29 patients had normal semen parameters before treatment. These patients had a significant improvement in the proportion of sperm which could move in a straight line (10.9% vs. 17.9%) and the proportion with SDF damage (28.2% vs. 23.0%).
The bottom line
This study found that men with infertility had improved sperm parameters after taking a vitamins and antioxidant supplement for three months.
The fine print
This study did not include patients given an inactive pill to control for the placebo effect.
Published By :
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
Date :
Mar 06, 2020
