(29-08-12) Antioxidant intake is associated with semen quality in healthy men

B.Eskenazi1,4, S.A.Kidd1, A.R.Marks1, E.Sloter2,3, G.Block1 and A.J.Wyrobek2
1140 Earl Warren Hall, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-7360, 2Biology and Biotechnology
Research Program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, L-448, Livermore, CA 94550 and 3Genetics and
Developmental Biology Program, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
4To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]
BACKGROUND: We seek to determine whether dietary and supplement intake of specific micronutrients (zinc
and folate) and antioxidants (vitamins C, E and b-carotene) is associated with semen quality. METHODS: Ninetyseven
healthy, non-smoking men provided semen and were interviewed. Average daily nutrient intake from food
and supplements was derived from a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Intake levels were summarized
as low, moderate and high. Semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, progressive
motility and total progressively motile sperm count (TPMS) were measured. RESULTS: After controlling for
covariates, a high intake of antioxidants was associated with better semen quality but, in almost all cases, there
was no clear dose relationship in that moderate intake groups had the poorest semen quality. For example, positive
associations were observed between vitamin C intake and sperm number as reflected in the higher mean count
(P 5 0.04), concentration (P 5 0.05) and TPMS (P 5 0.09); between vitamin E intake and progressive motility
(P 5 0.04) and TPMS (P 5 0.05); and between b-carotene intake and sperm concentration (P 5 0.06) and
progressive motility (P 5 0.06). Folate and zinc intake were not associated with improved semen quality.
CONCLUSIONS: In a convenience sample of healthy non-smoking men from a non-clinical setting, higher antioxidant
intake was associated with higher sperm numbers and motility.

Source: Human Reproduction Vol.20, No.4 pp. 1006?1012, 2005 doi:10.1093/humrep/deh725
Advance Access publication January 21, 2005

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