scholarly journals Randomized Clinical Trial: Effect of Walnuts on Semen Parameters and Male Fertility (P18-042-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendie Robbins ◽  
Howard Kim ◽  
Justin Houman ◽  
Geng-Wei Lee
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trial ◽  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Nutritional Supplement ◽  
Semen Parameters ◽  
Male Factor Infertility ◽  
Male Factor

Abstract Objectives Infertility affects ∼8–12% of couples worldwide with ∼40% attributed to male factors. Recent studies suggest a role for paternal diet in fertility. Walnuts contain a variety of nutrients essential in the development of spermatozoa. We conducted a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to determine if consumption of walnuts improves semen parameters and fertility in men seeking clinical care for male factor infertility. Methods This was a two arm, single blind, RCT. The comparison groups both received usual care for male factor infertility. One group added 42 gm/d walnuts to their diet, and the other group added a daily nutritional supplement recommended for male reproductive health. Participants (n = 75) were enrolled at an infertility clinic located in a large metropolitan medical center. Eligibility was determined by history, physical exam, and lab tests collected as part of clinical care. Research measures included semen analysis and blood sample at baseline and 3 months; ASA24 dietary recall at baseline, 2 and 3 months; and fertility report at 3 months and 1 year. Results Age range was 27 to 61 years (39.7 ± 7.0); BMI range 19.6 to 46.9 (26.8 ± 4.5); participant race was Asian 26.2%, White 44.3%, Hispanic White 16.4%, Black 8.2%, other 4.9%. Baseline sperm concentration was 39.4 ± 30 million per ml; sperm motility 31.1 ± 23.4%; and progressive motility 21.2 ± 15.8%. At 3 months, the walnut group demonstrated increased sperm motility and concentration, P = .04 and P = .07, respectively, whereas no significant changes from baseline were found in the nutritional supplement group. Both groups showed improved sperm morphology, P < .03. Preliminary data from the subset of men with 1-year follow-up data shows higher frequency of pregnancy in the walnut group compared to nutritional supplement, although not statistically significant, P = .09. We continue to follow the remaining participants until their 1-year fertility report. Conclusions This RCT demonstrated a beneficial effect of adding walnuts to the diet on sperm motility and morphology in men seeking care for infertility. Preliminary fertility data suggests walnuts may enhance the probability of pregnancy for men with male factor infertility. Funding Sources Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California, Los Angeles; California Walnut Commission.

scholarly journals Abnormal semen parameters among males in infertile couples: a cross sectional study from a tertiary care centre

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 3398
Author(s):  
Jyoti Garg ◽  
Rachana Meena ◽  
Shailaja Shukla ◽  
Sunita Sharma ◽  
Riva Choudhury
Keyword(s):  
Semen Quality ◽  
Semen Analysis ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Semen Parameters ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Male Factor Infertility ◽  
Male Factor ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Infertile Couples

Background: In India, the prevalence of primary infertility ranges from 3.9% to 16.8%. Male factor contributes 40-50% of this. Male factor infertility is indicated by decreased sperm concentration, reduced motility, vitality or abnormal sperm morphology. Semen analysis is the single most important investigation to detect male factor infertility. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of abnormal semen parameters among males in infertile couples and their association with contributing factors.Methods: This cross-sectional hospital-based study was carried out in the Department of Pathology at Lady Hardinge Medical College and Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital. A total of 400 cases were analyzed during a period of 6 months. Detailed history of the couple was taken. Semen analysis was done using automated semen analyzer (SQA-vision) after 3 days of abstinence according to the WHO 5th edition 2010 guidelines. The results were analysed using excel sheet and SPSS software.Results: In the present study, 122 cases (30.5%) out of 400 cases had abnormal semen parameters. Most common abnormality detected was asthenozoospermia (14.3%) followed by oligozoospermia (13.8%), azoospermia (10.5%) and teratozoospermia (10.5%). There was significant association of alcohol intake, obesity and trauma with abnormal semen parameters.Conclusions: Asthenozoospermia was the most common abnormality noted in this study. Lifestyle modifications along with timely medical attention in male partners of infertile couples can improve the semen quality.

scholarly journals Paper-Based Quantification of Male Fertility Potential

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 458-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Nosrati ◽  
Max M Gong ◽  
Maria C San Gabriel ◽  
Claudio E Pedraza ◽  
Armand Zini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
Semen Analysis ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Absolute Humidity ◽  
Semen Parameters ◽  
Motile Sperm ◽  
Clinical Practices ◽  
Male Factor ◽  
Fertility Potential

Abstract BACKGROUND More than 70 million couples worldwide are affected by infertility, with male-factor infertility accounting for about half of the cases. Semen analysis is critical for determining male fertility potential, but conventional testing is costly and complex. Here, we demonstrate a paper-based microfluidic approach to quantify male fertility potential, simultaneously measuring 3 critical semen parameters in 10 min: live and motile sperm concentrations and sperm motility. METHODS The device measures the colorimetric change of yellow tetrazolium dye to purple formazan by the diaphorase flavoprotein enzyme present in metabolically active human sperm to quantify live and motile sperm concentration. Sperm motility was determined as the ratio of motile to live sperm. We assessed the performance of the device by use of clinical semen samples, in parallel with standard clinical approaches. RESULTS Detection limits of 8.46 and 15.18 million/mL were achieved for live and motile sperm concentrations, respectively. The live and motile sperm concentrations and motility values from our device correlated with those of the standard clinical approaches (R2 ≥ 0.84). In all cases, our device provided 100% agreement in terms of clinical outcome. The device was also robust and could tolerate conditions of high absolute humidity (22.8 g/m3) up to 16 weeks when packaged with desiccant. CONCLUSIONS Our device outperforms existing commercial paper-based assays by quantitatively measuring live and motile sperm concentrations and motility, in only 10 min. This approach is applicable to current clinical practices as well as self-diagnostic applications.

scholarly journals The effect of antioxidants on male factor infertility: the Males, Antioxidants, and Infertility (MOXI) randomized clinical trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 552-560.e3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Z. Steiner ◽  
Karl R. Hansen ◽  
Kurt T. Barnhart ◽  
Marcelle I. Cedars ◽  
Richard S. Legro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trial ◽  
Male Factor Infertility ◽  
Male Factor

scholarly journals The Effect of Oral Vitamin E on Semen Parameters and IVF Outcome: A Double-Blinded Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Soudabeh Sabetian ◽  
Bahia Namavar Jahromi ◽  
Sina Vakili ◽  
Sedighe Forouhari ◽  
Shohreh Alipour
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Vitamin E ◽  
Male Infertility ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
Semen Parameters ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Male Factor ◽  
Oxidative Damages ◽  
Sperm Volume

Background. Male infertility is a main clinical problem that affects about 7% of all men worldwide. Many patients with male infertility are caused by a reduced antioxidant capacity of semen. Several antioxidant supplements, especially vitamin E, are proposed to help male infertility treatment. This project was goaled to study the effects of oral synthetic vitamin E (400 IU/day) for eight weeks on betterment of semen parameters and pregnancy rate. Methods. After dropping the cases, 124 infertile couples with a male factor who were admitted to the IVF program were included. The male patients with idiopathic abnormal motility and/or morphology were randomized into two groups: 61 receiving vitamin E and 63 as the control group receiving placebo for eight weeks. The pretreatment semen parameters of both groups were compared with those of posttreatment. The pregnancy outcomes were considered between the two groups. Results. There were no significant differences statistically between before and after treatment in the term of sperm volume, count, motility, and morphology. Furthermore, the IVF outcomes of the two groups were not different significantly, either. Interestingly, the percent of normal sperm in the placebo group was significantly decreased after eight weeks. Conclusion. Vitamin E supplementation might neutralize free radical activity to keep sperm from more oxidative damages. Further studies regarding the influence of higher acceptable doses of vitamin E on semen characteristics and fertility rates are needed. This study was registered as a two-arm, blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial (IRCTID: IRCT2014020616506N1, 2014-03-18).

23 Sperm quality of Pure Spanish stallions is affected by inbreeding coefficient and age

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
Y. Pirosanto ◽  
M. Valera ◽  
A. Molina ◽  
J. Dorado ◽  
S. Demyda-Peyrás
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Inbreeding Depression ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Semen Quality ◽  
Sperm Quality ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Inbreeding Coefficient ◽  
Semen Parameters ◽  
Computer Assisted

Inbreeding depression, a genetic condition produced by the mating of close-related individuals, has been associated with a reduction of fertility in several species. However, a loss in sperm quality was also associated with age. In horses, the few existing reports have described a tendency of both parameters to produce a negative effect on sperm quality. However, those reports were performed using a subjective evaluation of sperm motility. In the present study, a total of 692 ejaculates from 86 Pure Spanish stallions (PRE), aged between 3 and 22 years, were evaluated using a computer-assisted methodology to determine the effect of inbreeding in four semen parameters: free-gel volume (V), sperm concentration (C, by haemocytometer), and total (TM) and progressive (PM) sperm motility (by Spermvision sperm class analyser; Minitube). The inbreeding coefficient (F) was estimated using 300 000 PRE pedigree records approximately (minimum pedigree depth, eight equivalent complete generations; range, between 1 and 30.1%). Stallion, age, ejaculate, and season of semen collection were the variables included in the statistical model (general linear model), with ejaculate and season being the variables with a major effect (by variance components analysis). Our results showed that sperm concentration (r=−0.18; P&lt;0.0001) and volume (to a lesser extent) were reduced with advancing age, both showing a major decline after 15 years of age. To the contrary, sperm motility was not affected by age of the stallion. We also found a negative correlation between the inbreeding coefficient and ejaculate volume (r=−0.14; P&lt;0.001), with a marked decrease seen when F was between 7 and 20%. Also, a negative correlation was observed in PM (r=−0.08; P&lt;0.05), although to a lower extent. Conversely, C and TM were not affected by inbreeding depression (P&gt;0.05). In conclusion, our results demonstrated that high levels of inbreeding can compromise severely the sperm quality of the PRE stallion, which, subsequently, may have a negative influence on fertility. Ongoing studies using genomic data will help to detect genetic variants associated with stallion semen quality and how it is influenced by inbreeding in specific genomic regions.

scholarly journals Effects of coadministration of DHA and vitamin E on spermatogram, seminal oxidative stress, and sperm phospholipids in asthenozoospermic men: a randomized controlled trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 707-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghazaleh Eslamian ◽  
Naser Amirjannati ◽  
Nazanin Noori ◽  
Mohammad-Reza Sadeghi ◽  
Azita Hekmatdoost
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Vitamin E ◽  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Seminal Plasma ◽  
Sperm Count ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Endocrine Function ◽  
Semen Parameters ◽  
Double Blind

ABSTRACT Background It is unknown which compounds in spermatozoa or seminal plasma may be involved in the regulation of sperm motility. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of DHA (22:6n–3), vitamin E, and their probable interactions in men with asthenozoospermia. Methods A factorial, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in infertility clinics in Tehran, Iran. The participants were idiopathic asthenozoospermic men aged 20–45 y, with normal endocrine function. Their concentration of spermatozoa and percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa were equal to or above the lower reference limits, according to the fifth edition of the WHO guideline. Out of 717 men referred to the infertility clinics, 180 asthenozoospermic men were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups according to stratified blocked randomization by age and sperm concentration. Participants took daily 465 mg DHA plus 600 IU vitamin E (DE), 465 mg DHA plus placebo (DP), 600 IU vitamin E plus placebo (EP), or both placebo capsules (PP) for 12 wk. Sperm characteristics, oxidative stress of seminal plasma, serum and sperm membrane fatty acids, dietary intakes, anthropometric measurements, and physical activity were measured at baseline and after 12 wk. Results After the intervention, mean ± SD sperm progressive motility was greater in the DE group (27.9 ± 2.8) than in the DP (25.7 ± 3.4), EP (26.1 ± 2.8), and PP (25.8 ± 2.6) groups (P &lt; 0.05). Sperm count (P = 0.001) and concentration (P = 0.044) increased significantly in the DE group compared with the other 3 groups, whereas other semen parameters were not significantly different between the groups after the intervention. Serum concentrations of n–3 PUFAs were significantly higher in the DE and DP groups than in the EP and PP groups. Conclusions Combined DHA and vitamin E supplements led to increased sperm motility; however, no significant changes occurred in sperm morphology and vitality in asthenozoospermic men. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01846325.

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