Fertility and Sterility
Volume 93, Issue 4 , Pages 1128-1133 , 1 March 2010

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

  • Jaime Mendiola, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Reproductive Biology and Medicine, Instituto Bernabeu, Alicante, Spain
    • Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Espinardo, Spain
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Dr. Jaime Mendiola. Division of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Murcia, 30100, Espinardo (Murcia), Spain (FAX: +34968363947).
  • ,
  • Alberto M. Torres-Cantero, M.D., Dr.P.H.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Espinardo, Spain
    • El Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Elche, Spain
  • ,
  • Jesús Vioque, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • El Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Elche, Spain
    • Department of Public Health, Miguel Hernandez University, Elche, Spain
  • ,
  • José M. Moreno-Grau, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Technical University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Spain
  • ,
  • Jorge Ten, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Reproductive Biology and Medicine, Instituto Bernabeu, Alicante, Spain
  • ,
  • Manuela Roca, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Espinardo, Spain
  • ,
  • Stella Moreno-Grau, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Technical University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Spain
  • ,
  • Rafael Bernabeu, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Reproductive Biology and Medicine, Instituto Bernabeu, Alicante, Spain
    • Reproductive Medicine Chair, Miguel Hernandez University–Instituto Bernabeu, Alicante, Spain

Received 26 August 2008 ,Revised 6 October 2008 ,Accepted 27 October 2008.

References 

  1. Carlsen E, Giwercman A, Keiding N, Skakkebaek NE. Evidence for decreasing quality of semen during the past 50 years. BMJ. 1992;305:609–613
  2. Irvine S, Cawood E, Richardson D, MacDonald E, Aitken J. Evidence of deteriorating semen quality in the United Kingdom: birth cohort study in 577 men in Scotland over 11 years. BMJ. 1996;312:467–471
  3. Swan SH, Elkin EP, Fenster L. Have sperm densities declined? A reanalysis of global trend data. Environ Health Perspect. 1997;105:1228–1232
  4. Aitken RJ, Koopman P, Lewis SE. Seeds of concern. Nature. 2004;432:48–52
  5. Skakkebaek NE, Jørgensen N, Main KM, Rajpert–De Meyts E, Leffers H, Andersson AM, et al. Is human fecundity declining?. Int J Androl. 2006;29:2–11
  6. Swan SH. Does our environment affect our fertility? Some examples to help reframe the question. Semin Reprod Med. 2006;24:142–146
  7. Tielemans E, Burdorf A, te Velde ER, Weber RF, van Kooij RJ, Veulemans H, et al. Occupationally related exposures and reduced semen quality: a case-control study. Fertil Steril. 1999;71:690–696
  8. López-Teijón M, Garcia F, Serra O, Moragas M, Rabanal A, Olivares R, et al. Semen quality in a population of volunteers from the province of Barcelona. Reprod Biomed Online. 2007;15:434–444
  9. Chavarro JE, Toth TL, Sadio SM, Hauser R. Soy food and isoflavone intake in relation to semen quality parameters among men from an infertility clinic. Hum Reprod. 2008;23:2584–2590
  10. Wong WY, Thomas CM, Merkus JMWM, Zielhuis GA, Steegers-Theunissen RPM. Male factor subfertility: possible causes and impact of nutritional factors. Fertil Steril. 2000;73:435–442
  11. Wong WY, Merkus HM, Thomas CM, Menkveld R, Zielhuis GA, Steegers-Theunissen RP. Effects of folic acid and zinc sulfate on male factor subfertility: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Fertil Steril. 2002;77:491–498
  12. Comhaire FH, Mahmoud A. The role of food supplements in the treatment of the infertile men. Reprod Biomed Online. 2003;7:385–391
  13. Agarwal A, Said TM. Carnitines and male infertility. Reprod Biomed Online. 2004;8:376–384
  14. Agarwal A, Nallella KP, Allamaneni SSR, Said TM. Role of antioxidants in treatment if male infertility: an overview of the literature. Reprod Biomed Online. 2004;8:616–627
  15. Eskenazi B, Kidd SA, Marks AR, Sloter E, Block G, Wyrobek AJ. Antioxidant intake is associated with semen quality in healthy men. Hum Reprod. 2005;20:1006–1012
  16. Lewis V, Kochman L, Herko R, Brewer E, Andolina G, Song G. Dietary antioxidants and sperm quality in infertile men. Proceedings of the 62nd American Society of Reproductive Medicine Annual Meeting, New Orleans, USA, October 21–25: P-623. Fertil Steril. 2006;86:s364
  17. Mendiola J, Torres-Cantero AM, Moreno-Grau JM, Ten J, Roca M, Moreno-Grau S, et al. Food intake and its relationship with semen quality: a case-control study. Fertil Steril. Published online 1 March 2008 [Epub ahead of print].
  18. World Health Organization. WHO laboratory manual for the examination of human semen and sperm–cervical mucus interaction. 4th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1999;
  19. Kruger TF, Menkveld R, Stander FS, Lombard CJ, Van der Merwe JP, van Zyl JA, et al. Sperm morphologic features as a prognostic factor in in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 1986;46:1118–1123
  20. Vazquez-Levin MH, Goldberg SI, Friedmann P, Des Jarlais DC, Nagler HM. Papanicolau and Kruger assessment of sperm morphology: thresholds and agreement. Int J Androl. 1998;21:327–331
  21. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Case studies in environmental medicine: taking an exposure history. 1992. Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, United States. Available at: www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/CSEM/exphistory/index.html. Last accessed 5 October 2005.
  22. Mendiola J, Torres-Cantero AM, Moreno-Grau JM, Ten J, Roca M, Moreno-Grau S, et al. Exposure to environmental toxins in males seeking infertility treatment: a case-controlled study. Reprod Biomed Online. 2008;16:842–850
  23. Willett WC, Sampson L, Stampfer MJ, Rosner B, Bain C, Witschi J, et al. Reproducibility and validity of a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Am J Epidemiol. 1985;122:51–65
  24. Vioque J, Gonzalez L. Validity of a food frequency questionnaire (preliminary results). Eur J Cancer Prev. 1991;1:19–20
  25. Vioque J. Validez de la evaluación de la ingesta dietética. In:  Serra-Majem L,  Aranceta-Bartrina J editor. Nutrición y salud pública. Métodos, bases científicas y aplicaciones. Barcelona: Mansson-Elsevier; 2006;p. 199–210
  26. Willett W. Reproducibility and validity of food-frequency questionnaires. In:  Willet WC editors. Nutritional epidemiology. New York: Oxford University Press; 1998;p. 101–147
  27. Vioque J, Weinbrenner T, Asensio L, Castelló A, Young IS, Fletcher A. Plasma concentrations of carotenoids and vitamin C are better correlated with dietary intake in normal weight than overweight and obese elderly subjects. Br J Nutr. 2007;97:977–986
  28. U.S. Departmentof Agriculture. Composition of foods raw, processed, prepared, USDA national nutrient database for standard reference, release 18. 2005. Available at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search. Last accessed 5 October 2005.
  29. 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
  30. Akmal M, Qadri JQ, Al-Waili NS, Thangal S, Haq A, Saloom KY. Improvement in human semen quality after oral supplementation of vitamin C. J Med Food. 2006;9:440–442
  31. Hawkes WC, Turek PJ. Effects of dietary selenium on sperm motility in healthy men. J Androl. 2001;22:764–772
  32. Iwanier K, Zachara BA. Selenium supplementation enhances the element concentration in blood and seminal fluid but does not change the spermatozoal quality characteristics in subfertile men. J. Androl. 1995;16:441–447
  33. Ebisch IM, Pierik FH, DE Jong FH, Thomas CM, Steegers-Theunissen RP. Does folic acid and zinc sulphate intervention affect endocrine parameters and sperm characteristics in men?. Int J Androl. 2006;29:339–345
  34. Young SS, Eskenazi B, Marchetti FM, Block G, Wyrobek AJ. The association of folate, zinc and antioxidant intake with sperm aneuploidy in healthy nonsmoking men. Hum Reprod. 2008;23:1014–1022
  35. Gupta NP, Kumar R. Lycopene therapy in idiopathic male infertility—a preliminary report. Int Urol Nephrol. 2002;34:369–372
  36. Dabrowski K, Ciereszko A. Ascorbic acid protects against male infertility in a teleost fish. Experientia. 1996;52:97–100
  37. Saleh RA, Agarwal A. Oxidative stress and male infertility: from research bench to clinical practice. J Androl. 2002;23:737–752
  38. Agarwal A, Saleh RA, Bedaiwy MA. Role of reactive oxygen species in the pathophysiology of human reproduction. Fertil Steril. 2003;79:829–843
  39. Pasqualotto FF, Sharma RK, Nelson DR, Thomas AJ, Agarwal A. Relationship between oxidative stress, semen characteristics, and clinical diagnosis in men undergoing infertility investigation. Fertil Steril. 2000;73:459–464
  40. Agarwal A, Sharma RK, Nallella KP, Thomas AJ, Alvarez JG, Sikka SC. Reactive oxygen species as an independent marker of male factor infertility. Fertil Steril. 2006;86:878–885

 J.M. has nothing to disclose. A.T.-C. has nothing to disclose. J.V. has nothing to disclose. J.M.-G. has nothing to disclose. J.T. has nothing to disclose. M.R. has nothing to disclose. S.M.-G. has nothing to disclose. R.B. has nothing to disclose.

 Supported in part by The Seneca Foundation, Regional Agency of Science and Technology, Department of Education and Culture of Murcia (Ref. 00694/PI/04), and the Reproductive Medicine Chair of Miguel Hernandez University–Instituto Bernabeu and El Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP).

PII: S0015-0282(08)04488-9

doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.10.075

Fertility and Sterility
Volume 93, Issue 4 , Pages 1128-1133 , 1 March 2010