Clin Nutr Res.  2019 Jul;8(3):229-237. 10.7762/cnr.2019.8.3.229.

Dietary Antioxidant Intake in Relation to Semen Quality Parameters in Infertile Men: a Cross-Sectional Study

• Rahimlou M
• Sohaei S
• Nasr-Esfahani M
• Nouri M

• KMID: 2454080
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2019.8.3.229

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the association between dietary antioxidant intake and semen quality parameters in infertile men. In this cross-sectional study, dietary antioxidant intake was evaluated in 175 infertile Iranian men by a validated dish-based 106-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Men were asked to abstain from ejaculation for at least 72 hours before sample collection. Semen parameters were assessed by a sperm counting chamber and Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay methods. Linear quantile regression was used to determine the associations between antioxidant nutrient intake and semen quality parameters (including total sperm count, sperm density, total motility, DNA damage and DNA fragmentation). Mean age of study participants was 32.19 ± 2.34 years. Compared with the lowest quartile, men in the highest quartile of dietary β-carotene and vitamin C intake had lower sperm DNA fragmentation index (Ptrend = 0.042 and Ptrend = 0.03, respectively). Also, dietary intake of beta-cryptoxanthin had a positive association with sperm density (Ptrend = 0.02), and dietary lutein was associated with total sperm count (P(trend) = 0.045). Dietary intake of other antioxidants did not significantly correlate with the indicators related to the quantity and quality of sperm (p > 0.05). These data suggest that dietary intake of some of the antioxidants is associated with semen related parameters.

Keyword

Antioxidants; Morphology; Oxidative stress; Sperm; Infertility

MeSH Terms

Antioxidants
Ascorbic Acid
Cross-Sectional Studies*
Cryptoxanthins
DNA
DNA Damage
DNA Fragmentation
DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase
Ejaculation
Humans
Infertility
Lutein
Male
Oxidative Stress
Semen Analysis*
Semen*
Sperm Count
Spermatozoa
Antioxidants
Ascorbic Acid
Cryptoxanthins
DNA
DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase
Lutein

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