Volume 14, Issue 12 (12-2016)                   IJRM 2016, 14(12): 729-736 | Back to browse issues page


XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Ahmadi S, Bashiri R, Ghadiri-Anari A, Nadjarzadeh A. Antioxidant supplements and semen parameters: An evidence based review. IJRM 2016; 14 (12) :729-736
URL: http://ijrm.ir/article-1-716-en.html
1- Nutrition and Food Security Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
2- Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
3- Nutrition and Food Security Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran , azadehnajarzadeh@gmail.com
Abstract:   (8210 Views)
Many studies have focused on male infertility. There is limited evidence about the influence of nutrition on quality of semen. Approximately, 30-80% of infertility cases are caused by oxidative stress and decreased level of seminal total antioxidant capacity. This study was aimed to review the effects of oral antioxidant supplements on improving major semen parameters such as sperm concentration, motility, morphology, DNA damage, and fertility rate. Data were extracted from PubMed and Google scholar database by using the terms “antioxidant”, “multivitamin”, “carnitine”, “CoQ10”, “vitamin C”, “vitamin E”, “zinc”, “folic acid”, “N-acetyl cysteine” and “selenium” combined with “male infertility”, “semen”, and “sperm” to generate a set of relevant citations. Supplements such as CoQ10 and alpha-tocopherol significantly improve sperm count. Also, carnitine has positive effects on sperm motility and morphology. Simultaneous administration of vitamin E and vitamin C reduces the sperm DNA damage. However, in some studies, one or more factors have not changed substantially. In most of the studies, antioxidant supplementation improved the number, motility, morphology and sometimes DNA integrity of sperm. The present study showed that antioxidant supplements, especially a combination of antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and CoQ10 intake can effectively improve semen parameters in infertile men
Full-Text [PDF 155 kb]   (2032 Downloads) |   |   Full-Text (HTML)  (2365 Views)  
Type of Study: Original Article |

References
1. Brugh VM, Lipshultz LI. Male factor infertility: evaluation and management. Med Clin North Am 2004; 88: 367-385. [DOI:10.1016/S0025-7125(03)00150-0]
2. Irvine DS. Epidemiology and aetiology of male infertility. Hum Reprod 1998; 13 (suppl.): 33-44. [DOI:10.1093/humrep/13.suppl_1.33]
3. Sharlip ID, Jarow JP, Belker AM, Lipshultz LI, Sigman M, Thomas AJ, et al. Best practice policies for male infertility. Fertil steril 2002; 77: 873-882. [DOI:10.1016/S0015-0282(02)03105-9]
4. Olayemi F. review on some causes of male infertility. Afr J Biotech 2010; 9: .
5. Wong WY, Thomas CM, Merkus JM, Zielhuis GA, Steegers-Theunissen RP. Male factor subfertility: possible causes and the impact of nutritional factors. Fertil Steril 2000;73: 435-442. [DOI:10.1016/S0015-0282(99)00551-8]
6. Tremellen K. Oxidative stress and male infertility-a clinical perspective. Hum Reprod Update 2008; 14: 243-258. [DOI:10.1093/humupd/dmn004]
7. Aitken RJ, De Iuliis GN. Origins and consequences of DNA damage in male germ cells. Reprod Biomed Online 2007; 14: 727-733. [DOI:10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60676-1]
8. Lafuente R, González-Comadrán M, Solà I, López G, Brassesco M, Carreras R, et al. Coenzyme Q10 and male infertility: a meta-analysis. J Assis Reprod Gen 2013; 30: 1147-1156. [DOI:10.1007/s10815-013-0047-5]
9. Makker K, Agarwal A, Sharma R. Oxidative stress & male infertility. Ind J Med Res 2009; 129: 357-367.
10. Agarwal A, Said TM. Oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis in male infertility: a clinical approach. BJU Int 2005; 95: 503-507. [DOI:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2005.05328.x]
11. Saleh RA, HCLD AA. Oxidative stress and male infertility: from research bench to clinical practice. J Androl 2002; 23: 737-752.
12. Eskenazi B, Kidd S, Marks A, Sloter E, Block G, Wyrobek A. Antioxidant intake is associated with semen quality in healthy men. Hum Reprod 2005; 20: 1006-1012. [DOI:10.1093/humrep/deh725]
13. Rao B, Soufir J, Martin M, David G. Lipid peroxidation in human spermatozoa as relatd to midpiece abnormalities and motility. Gamete Res 1989; 24: 127-134. [DOI:10.1002/mrd.1120240202]
14. Sheweita SA, Tilmisany AM, Al-Sawaf H. Mechanisms of male infertility: role of antioxidants. Curr Drug Metab 2005; 6: 495-501. [DOI:10.2174/138920005774330594]
15. Hosen MB, Islam MR, Begum F, Kabir Y, Howlader MZH. Oxidative stress induced sperm DNA damage, a possible reason for male infertility. Iran J Reprod Med 2015; 13: 525-532.
16. Aitken R, Irvine D, Wu F. Prospective analysis of sperm-oocyte fusion and reactive oxygen species generation as criteria for the diagnosis of infertility. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1991; 164: 542-551. [DOI:10.1016/S0002-9378(11)80017-7]
17. Sukcharoen N, Keith J, Irvine DS, Aitken RJ. Predicting the fertilizing potential of human sperm suspensions in vitro: importance of sperm morphology and leukocyte contamination. Fertil Steril 1995; 63: 1293-1300. [DOI:10.1016/S0015-0282(16)57614-6]
18. World Health Organization. WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. 2010.
19. Linster CL, Van Schaftingen E. Vitamin C. FEBS J 2007; 274: 1-22. [DOI:10.1111/j.1742-4658.2006.05607.x]
20. Kefer JC, Agarwal A, Sabanegh E. Role of antioxidants in the treatment of male infertility. Int J Urol 2009;16: 449-57. [DOI:10.1111/j.1442-2042.2009.02280.x]
21. Dawson EB, Harris WA, Rankin WE, Charpentier LA, McGanity WJ. Effect of ascorbic acid on male fertility. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1987;498: 312-23. [DOI:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1987.tb23770.x]
22. Ko EY, Sabanegh ES. The Role of Over‐the‐Counter Supplements for the Treatment of Male Infertility-Fact or Fiction? J Androl 2012; 33: 292-308. [DOI:10.2164/jandrol.111.013730]
23. Colagar AH, Marzony ET. Ascorbic acid in human seminal plasma: determination and its relationship to sperm quality. J Clin Biochem Nutr 2009;45: 144-149. [DOI:10.3164/jcbn.08-251]
24. Brigelius-Flohe R, Traber MG. Vitamin E: function and metabolism. FASEB J 1999; 13: 1145-55. [DOI:10.1096/fasebj.13.10.1145]
25. Ross C, Morriss A, Khairy M, Khalaf Y, Braude P, Coomarasamy A, et al. A systematic review of the effect of oral antioxidants on male infertility. Reprod Biomed Online 2010; 20: 711-723. [DOI:10.1016/j.rbmo.2010.03.008]
26. Greco E, Iacobelli M, Rienzi L, Ubaldi F, Ferrero S, Tesarik J. Reduction of the incidence of sperm DNA fragmentation by oral antioxidant treatment. J Androl 2005; 26: 349-353. [DOI:10.2164/jandrol.04146]
27. Greco E, Romano S, Iacobelli M, Ferrero S, Baroni E, Minasi MG, et al. ICSI in cases of sperm DNA damage: beneficial effect of oral antioxidant treatment. Hum Reprod 2005; 20: 2590-2594. [DOI:10.1093/humrep/dei091]
28. Moslemi MK, Tavanbakhsh S. Selenium-vitamin E supplementation in infertile men: effects on semen parameters and pregnancy rate. Int J Gen Med 2011; 4: 99-104 [DOI:10.2147/IJGM.S16275]
29. Arduini A, Bonomini M, Savica V, Amato A, Zammit V. Carnitine in metabolic disease: potential for pharmacological intervention. Pharm Ther 2008; 120: 149-156. [DOI:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2008.08.008]
30. Radigue C, Es-Slami S, Soufir J. Relationship of carnitine transport across the epididymis to blood carnitine and androgens in rats. Arch Androl 1996; 37: 27-31. [DOI:10.3109/01485019608988499]
31. Enomoto A, Wempe MF, Tsuchida H, Shin HJ, Cha SH, Anzai N, et al. Molecular identification of a novel carnitine transporter specific to human testis insights into the mechanism of carnitine recognition. J Biol Chem 2002; 277: 36262-36271. [DOI:10.1074/jbc.M203883200]
32. Johansen L, Bøhmer T. Carnitine-binding related supressed oxygen uptake by spermatozoa. Arch Androl 1978;1: 321-324. [DOI:10.3109/01485017808988352]
33. Lenzi A, Sgro P, Salacone P, Paoli D, Gilio B, Lombardo F, et al. A placebo-controlled double-blind randomized trial of the use of combined l-carnitine and l-acetyl-carnitine treatment in men with asthenozoospermia. Fertil Steril 2004; 81: 1578-1584. [DOI:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2003.10.034]
34. Balercia G, Regoli F, Armeni T, Koverech A, Mantero F, Boscaro M. Placebo-controlled double-blind randomized trial on the use of L-carnitine, L-acetylcarnitine, or combined L-carnitine and L-acetylcarnitine in men with idiopathic asthenozoospermia. Fertil Steril 2005; 84: 662-671. [DOI:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.03.064]
35. Sigman M, Glass S, Campagnone J, Pryor JL. Carnitine for the treatment of idiopathic asthenospermia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Fertil Steril 2006; 85: 1409-1414. [DOI:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.10.055]
36. Garolla A, Maiorino M, Roverato A, Roveri A, Ursini F, Foresta C. Oral carnitine supplementation increases sperm motility in asthenozoospermic men with normal sperm phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase levels. Fertil Steril 2005; 83: 355-361. [DOI:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.10.010]
37. Wu Z, Lu X, Wang Y, Sun J, Tao J, Yin F, et al. [Short-term medication of L-carnitine before intracytoplasmic sperm injection for infertile men with oligoasthenozoospermia]. Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue 2012; 18: 253-256. (In Chinese)
38. Ernster L, Forsmark-Andree P. Ubiquinol: an endogenous antioxidant in aerobic organisms. Clin Invest 1993; 71: S60-S65. [DOI:10.1007/BF00226842]
39. Balercia G, Buldreghini E, Vignini A, Tiano L, Paggi F, Amoroso S, et al. Coenzyme Q 10 treatment in infertile men with idiopathic asthenozoospermia: a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial. Fertil Steril 2009; 91: 1785-1792. [DOI:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.02.119]
40. Safarinejad MR, Safarinejad S, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. Effects of the reduced form of coenzyme Q 10 (ubiquinol) on semen parameters in men with idiopathic infertility: a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized study. J Urol 2012; 188: 526-531. [DOI:10.1016/j.juro.2012.03.131]
41. Nadjarzadeh A, Shidfar F, Amirjannati N, Vafa M, Motevalian S, Gohari M, et al. Effect of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation on antioxidant enzymes activity and oxidative stress of seminal plasma: a double‐blind randomised clinical trial. Andrologia 2014; 46: 177-183. [DOI:10.1111/and.12062]
42. Nadjarzadeh A, Sadeghi M, Amirjannati N, Vafa M, Motevalian S, Gohari M, et al. Coenzyme Q10 improves seminal oxidative defense but does not affect on semen parameters in idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia: a randomized double-blind, placebo controlled trial. J Endocrin Invest 2011; 34: e224-e228.
43. Thakur AS, Littarru GP, Funahashi I, Painkara US, Dange NS, Chauhan P. Effect of Ubiquinol Therapy on Sperm Parameters and Serum Testosterone Levels in Oligoasthenozoospermic Infertile Men. J Clin Diagn Res 2015; 9: BC01-BC03. [DOI:10.7860/JCDR/2015/13617.6424]
44. Khan MS, Zaman S, Sajjad M, Shoaib M, Gilani G. Assessment of the level of trace element zinc in seminal plasma of males and evaluation of its role in male infertility. Int J Appl Bas Med Res 2011; 1: 93-96 [DOI:10.4103/2229-516X.91152]
45. Hadwan MH, Almashhedy LA, Alsalman ARS. Oral zinc supplementation restore high molecular weight seminal zinc binding protein to normal value in Iraqi infertile men. BMC Urol 2012; 12: 32. [DOI:10.1186/1471-2490-12-32]
46. Hadwan MH, Almashhedy LA, Alsalman ARS. Study of the effects of oral zinc supplementation on peroxynitrite levels, arginase activity and NO synthase activity in seminal plasma of Iraqi asthenospermic patients. Reprod Biol Endocrin 2014; 12: 1 [DOI:10.1186/1477-7827-12-1]
47. Elgazar V, Razanov V, Stoltenberg M, Hershfinkel M, Huleihel M, Nitzan YB, et al. Zinc-regulating proteins, ZnT-1, and metallothionein I/II are present in different cell populations in the mouse testis. J Histochem Cytochem 2005; 53: 905-912. [DOI:10.1369/jhc.4A6482.2005]
48. Sandström B, Sandberg A-S. Inhibitory effects of isolated inositol phosphates on zinc absorption in humans. J Trace Elements Electrol Health Dis 1992; 6: 99-103.
49. Ebisch I, Thomas C, Peters W, Braat D, Steegers-Theunissen R. The importance of folate, zinc and antioxidants in the pathogenesis and prevention of subfertility. Hum Reprod Update 2007; 13: 163-174. [DOI:10.1093/humupd/dml054]
50. Ebisch I, Pierik F, De Jong F, Thomas C, Steegers‐Theunissen R. Does folic acid and zinc sulphate intervention affect endocrine parameters and sperm characteristics in men? Int J Androl 2006; 29: 339-345. [DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.2005.00598.x]
51. Raigani M, Yaghmaei B, Amirjannti N, Lakpour N, Akhondi M, Zeraati H, et al. The micronutrient supplements, zinc sulphate and folic acid, did not ameliorate sperm functional parameters in oligoasthenoteratozoospermic men. Andrologia 2014; 46: 956-962. [DOI:10.1111/and.12180]
52. Flohe L. Selenium in mammalian spermiogenesis. Biol Chem 2007; 388: 987-995. [DOI:10.1515/BC.2007.112]
53. Mistry HD, Pipkin FB, Redman CW, Poston L. Selenium in reproductive health. Am J Obstet Gyn 2012; 206: 21-30. [DOI:10.1016/j.ajog.2011.07.034]
54. Keskes-Ammar L, Feki-Chakroun N, Rebai T, Sahnoun Z, Ghozzi H, Hammami S, et al. Sperm oxidative stress and the effect of an oral vitamin E and selenium supplement on semen quality in infertile men. Arch Androl 2003; 49: 83-94. [DOI:10.1080/01485010390129269]
55. Safarinejad MR, Safarinejad S. Efficacy of selenium and/or N-acetyl-cysteine for improving semen parameters in infertile men: a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized study. J Urol 2009; 181: 741-751. [DOI:10.1016/j.juro.2008.10.015]
56. Galatioto GP, Gravina GL, Angelozzi G, Sacchetti A, Innominato PF, Pace G, et al. May antioxidant therapy improve sperm parameters of men with persistent oligospermia after retrograde embolization for varicocele? World J Urol 2008; 26: 97-102. [DOI:10.1007/s00345-007-0218-z]
57. Abad C, Amengual M, Gosálvez J, Coward K, Hannaoui N, Benet J, et al. Effects of oral antioxidant treatment upon the dynamics of human sperm DNA fragmentation and subpopulations of sperm with highly degraded DNA. Andrologia 2013; 45: 211-216. [DOI:10.1111/and.12003]
58. Gopinath P, Kalra B, Saxena A, Malik S, Kochhar K, Kalra S, et al. Fixed Dose Combination Therapy of Antioxidants in Treatment of Idiopathic Oligoasthenozoospermia: Results of a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial. Int J Infertil Fetal Med 2013; 4: 6-13. [DOI:10.5005/jp-journals-10016-1053]
59. Tremellen K, Miari G, Froiland D, Thompson J. A randomised control trial examining the effect of an antioxidant (Menevit) on pregnancy outcome during IVF‐ICSI treatment. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynecol 2007; 47: 216-221. [DOI:10.1111/j.1479-828X.2007.00723.x]
60. Gvozdjáková A, Kucharská J, Dubravicky J, Mojto V, Singh RB. Coenzyme Q10, α-Tocopherol, and Oxidative Stress Could Be Important Metabolic Biomarkers of Male Infertility. Dis mark 2015; 2015: ID 827941.

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb