A low intake of antioxidant nutrients is associated with poor semen quality in patients attending fertility clinics

Mendiola, Jaime; Torres-Cantero, Alberto M.; Vioque, Jesús; Moreno-Grau, José M.; Ten, Jorge; Roca, Manuela; Moreno‐Grau, Stella; Bernabéu, Rafael

doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.10.075

Cited by 165 publications

(105 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In an observational study of 250 men undergoing ICSI, sperm motility was positively influenced by consumption of fruits and cereals (Braga et al, 2012). Furthermore, several observational and experimental studies have shown that higher antioxidant intake (such as vitamin E, vitamin C and b-carotene) which is found in fruits and vegetables was associated with improved sperm motility (and other semen parameters such as sperm counts and morphology), in both fertile and infertile men (Keskes-Ammar et al, 2003;Eskenazi et al, 2005;Akmal et al, 2006;Mendiola et al, 2010). A recent systematic review of 17 randomized trials of antioxidant supplementation showed that most trials reported an improvement in sperm motility with antioxidants compared with placebo (Ross et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary patterns and semen quality in young men

Gaskins

Colaci

Mendiola

et al. 2011

Fertility and Sterility

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what is known already: Over the past decades there has been evidence of a concomitant decline in sperm and diet quality. Yet whether diet composition influences semen quality remains largely unexplored. participants, setting, methods: Men aged 18-22 years were included in this analysis. Diet was assessed via food frequency questionnaire and dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. Linear regression was used to analyze the relation between diet patterns and conventional semen quality parameters (sperm concentration, progressive motility and morphology) adjusting for abstinence time, multivitamin use, race, smoking status, BMI, recruitment period, moderate-to-intense exercise and total calorie intake.results: Two dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. The 'Western' pattern was characterized by high intake of red and processed meat, refined grains, pizza, snacks, high-energy drinks and sweets. The 'Prudent' pattern was characterized by high intake of fish, chicken, fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. The Prudent pattern was positively associated with percent progressively motile sperm in multivariate models (P-trend ¼ 0.04). Men in the highest quartile of the Prudent diet had 11.3% (95% CI 1.3, 21.3) higher % progressively motile sperm compared with men in the lowest quartile. The Prudent pattern was unrelated to sperm concentration and morphology. The Western pattern was not associated with any semen parameter.limitations: This was a cross-sectional and observational study, which limited our ability to determine causality of diet on semen quality parameters.wider implications of the findings: Our findings support the suggestion that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish and whole grains may be an inexpensive and safe way to improve at least one measure of semen quality.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary patterns and semen quality in young men

Gaskins

Colaci

Mendiola

et al. 2011

Fertility and Sterility

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“…Many studies have been carried out on carotenoids, considered an important group of natural antioxidants (Bast et al, 1998;Møller et al, 2000;Schabath et al, 2004;Rao and Rao, 2007). In the last decade, lycopene, a carotenoid present in tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) and several ripe fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, pink grapefruit and carrots (Nguyen and Schwartz, 1999;Perkins-Veazie et al, 2003;Tadmor et al, 2005), has been considered in some studies related with human and animal health (Bhuvaneswari and Nagini, 2005;Rao et al, 2006;Avci and Durak, 2007;Bhom, 2007) and reproductive physiology (Martino et al, 2006;Goyal et al, 2007;Mangiagalli et al, 2007;Turk et al, 2007;Mendiola et al, 2010). In rooster, in particular, Mangiagalli et al (2010) found positive effects of lycopene addition on fertility and qualitative characteristics of semen.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of lycopene supplementation on semen quality and reproductive performance in rabbit

et al. 2012

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A total of 18 hybrid strain Martini male rabbits were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups. The animals in the first and second groups drank water with 0.1 and 0.5 g/L of lycopene addition (0.1 and 0.5 groups, respectively), while water without any supplement was administered to the control group rabbits (0 group) for 8 wk. Semen was collected from 18 bucks (6 animals/group) for 5 consecutive weeks. Ejaculate volume was determined by graduated test tube and sperm concentration was calculated by Neubauer chamber. Sperm motility was evaluated subjectively by a phase contrast microscope and forward progressive motility (FPM) scored 1-4 (low-high). Sperm viability was assessed by nigrosin/eosin (N/E) staining procedure. At the end of the semen evaluation period, 20 females/group were inseminated on day 11 post partum with a pool of semen collected from each experimental group. Data showed that the highest level of lycopene (0.5 group) resulted in a significantly greater volume of ejaculate and total number of sperm than in the control group (0.98 vs. 0.78 mL and 364 vs. 227; P<0.05), while sperm concentration was not affected. Lycopene addition did not significantly affect the sperm quality of fresh semen, but influenced the semen traits during storage (24 h at 5°C). In particular, the motility, FPM and viability of the 0.5 group were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those found in the 0 and 0.1 groups. No significant differences were found in reproductive performance. This study shows the positive effects of lycopene supplementation on semen production and refrigerated semen characteristics. Lycopene supplementation of drinking water could have interesting applications in field conditions, although further research into the role of this antioxidant in animal production is needed.

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“…2 One of the reasons for the impaired semen parameters over the years is dietary factors. 3,4 The significant effects of dietary fatty acids (FAs) on male fertility have been well documented both in animal and human studies. 5,6 There are three types of natural FAs: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.…”

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confidence: 99%

The roles of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in idiopathic male infertility

Safarinejad¹,

Safarinejad²

2012

Asian J Androl

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mega-3 fatty acids found in some foods have a wide-range of health benefits. The omega-3 supplementation results in higher antioxidant activity in human seminal fluid and enhanced sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm morphology. Considerable number of infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia might be benefit from omega-3 fatty acids administration.Infertility caused by idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia(OAT) syndrome without any female factor represents one of the biggest patients group in the daily practice of urologists. Despite great advances in the field of infertility, still many cases of male infertility are diagnosed as idiopathic and remained untreated. In low-income communities where health service resources are restricted and basic health needs are unmet, health resources are not used to provide expensive technologies for the treatment of infertility. Social and family consequences of infertility, especially in developing and under developed communities are devastating. A decrease in male fertility has been occurred over the years. 1 Sperm density had fallen by 40% over the past 50 years. 2 One of the reasons for the impaired semen parameters over the years is dietary factors. 3,4 The significant effects of dietary fatty acids (FAs) on male fertility have been well documented both in animal and human studies. 5,6 There are three types of natural FAs: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential FAs, because they cannot be synthesized by the human body. Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and alinolenic acid are the main omega-3 PUFAs.Linoleic acid, c-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid (AA) are the main omega-6 PUFAs. The first mechanism by which omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs affect spermatogenesis, is by the incorporation into spermatozoa cell membrane. Omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs are structural components of cell membranes. 7 The lipid bilayer of cellular membranes is maintained by the presence of these PUFAs. 8 The successful fertilization of spermatozoa depends on the lipids of the spermatozoa membrane. 9 Deleterious health effects of increased dietary omega-6/omega-3 ratios have been documented in many studies. 10 The ideal ratio is 1:1. During the past 100 years, omega-6 PUFAs of Western diets have increased dramatically. This has resulted in an omega-6/omega-3 ratio of 25:1 to 40:1. 11 Increased omega-6/omega-3 ratio in spermatozoa has also been implicated in impaired semen quality in oligozoospermic and/or asthenozoospermic men. 12 Spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic and oligozoospermic men exhibit decreased concentrations of DHA compared with those from normozoospermic men. Conquer et al. 13 demonstrated that, compared with normozoospermic men, spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic men have diminished concentrations of DHA and higher concentrations of oleic acid. Safarinejad et al., 14 investigated PUFA composition of the blood plasma and spermatozoa in men with idiopathic OAT. They found that, fertile men h...

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A low intake of antioxidant nutrients is associated with poor semen quality in patients attending fertility clinics

Cited by 165 publications

References 38 publications

Dietary patterns and semen quality in young men

Dietary patterns and semen quality in young men

Effect of lycopene supplementation on semen quality and reproductive performance in rabbit

The roles of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in idiopathic male infertility

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