Title:Role of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Supplementation in Male Fertility
Volume: 21
Issue: 4
Author(s): Zahra Beygi, Sedighe Forouhari, Elahe Mahmoudi, Seyed M.G. Hayat and Firoozeh Nourimand*
Affiliation:
- Vali Asr Educational Hospital, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa,Iran
Keywords:
Male infertility, sperm, oxidative stress, antioxidant, free radicals, coenzyme-Q10, pentoxifylline.
Abstract: Nearly 15% of couples experience infertility as a universal health issue. About
50% of infertility cases have been known to be associated with the male partner .
Oxidative stress (OS) represents an imbalance in the level of reactive oxygen species
(ROS) and anti-oxidants. In fact, OS has been considered as one of the popular
pathologies reported in about 50% of all infertile males. Therefore, the increased level of
ROS may result in infertility via DNA damages or lipid peroxidation (LPO) as well as the
inactivation of enzymes and oxidation of protiens in spermatozoa. Basically, OS results
from lifestyle variables. As the absence of antioxidants and the respective deficiencies in
the semen cause OS, variations in the lifestyle and anti-oxidant regimes may be
advantageous to treatment strategies for resolving such an issue. Actually, anti-oxidants
like vitamins E and C, glutathione, coenzyme-Q10, carnitines, selenium, Nacetylcysteine,
carotenoids, zinc, and pentoxifylline decline the OS-induced sperm
damages. Therefore, the present review overviews the oxidative biochemistry
associated with sperm health and identifies which men would be most at risk of
oxidative infertility. Hence, the review would show the techniques provided to diagnose
OS and diverse therapeutic options.
