Male Infertility
Micronutrient Supplementation Increases Sperm Quality in the Sub-fertile Male
Martin Imhof,1,2 Jakob Lackner,1,3 Markus Lipovac,1,2 Peter Chedraui4 and Claus Riedl5
1. Fertility Clinic IMI, Vienna; 2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Public Teaching Hospital Korneuburg/Vienna; 3. Department of Urology, General Public Hospital Hietzing, Vienna; 4. Institute of Biomedicine, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil; 5. Department of Urology, General Public Hospital Baden
Abstract
Background and Aims: Nearly 50 % of male infertility is idiopathic and to date there is still no proven therapy. We evaluated the effect of a non-prescription nutraceutical containing eight micronutrients on sperm quality in males with idiopathic sub-fertility. Methods: This open comparative pilot study was carried out at the Fertility Centre IMI, Vienna, Austria. A total of 132 sub-fertile males (active treatment group) were invited to participate and take two daily capsules of the active compound for a three-month period between the first and the follow-up semen analysis. Each capsule contained L-carnitine, L-arginine, zinc, vitamin E, glutathione, selenium, co-enzyme Q10 and folic acid. Sub-fertile men receiving no active treatment served as controls (n=73). The main outcome measure was the standardised semen analysis. Results: All parameters evaluated by semen analysis significantly increased after three months of treatment with the active compound. Median ejaculatory volume, sperm cell density, sperm motility (progressive and total) and normal morphology rate increased by 33.3, 215.5, 83.1, 36.4 and 23.0 %, respectively. These increments were significantly higher than those observed among controls. In the active treatment group no side effects were encountered and a total of 34 pregnancies were reported after six months’ follow-up, whereas 11 were reported in the control group. Conclusion: Semen analysis results significantly improved in sub-fertile men after treatment with an active micronutrient compound, leading to pregnancies without any adverse effects.
Keywords Sperm quality, oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, idiopathic male infertility, sub-fertility
Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Acknowledgements: We kindly thank Lenus Pharma GmbH, Vienna, Austria for supporting this initiative and providing the active compound. All authors have made substantial contributions in relation to the research design, statistical analysis and interpretation and drafting and approval of the final version of this manuscript. Received: 25 October 2011 Accepted: 4 November 2011 Citation: European Urological Review, 2011;6(2):120–3 Correspondence: Martin Imhof, General Public Teaching Hospital Korneuburg, Vienna, Wiener Ring 3-5, A-2100 Korneuburg, Austria. E:
martin.imhof@
meduniwien.ac.at
Support: The publication of this article was funded by LENUS Pharma GesmbH. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of LENUS Pharma GesmbH.
Birth rates in Western countries are decreasing. Ten per cent to 17 % of all couples experience primary or secondary sub-fertility,1–4
defined
as the failure to conceive after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse with the same partner. Sub-fertility resulting in permanent childlessness may be a very difficult situation for couples.5,6
In addition,
sub-fertile couples try to conceive by all possible means, including assisted reproduction, which obviously does not actually treat the sub-fertility cause.
Male factor accounts for nearly 25–30 % of all infertility causes.2,7 Several treatable conditions have been identified: hypogonadism, varicocele, gonadotrophin deficiency, genital tract infections and obstructions and sperm autoimmunity. In others cases, sub-fertility can be attributed to known irreversible conditions. However, no specific cause is found in about 50 % of all infertile men with seminal abnormalities seeking treatment. These sperm disorders are the single most common cause of male sub-fertility. Strong
120
associations between sperm quality parameters and pregnancy have been established.8,9 raised therapeutic interest.2,10
Thus, low sperm quality has increasingly
The pathogenic mechanisms involved in this form of defective sperm production are unknown;11
thus, focusing on the development of
effective treatments is not easy. Various agents have been used in the attempt to increase the fertility potential of men with decreased semen quality. Nevertheless, studies have rendered heterogeneous results, and the effect of gonadotrophins or anti-oestrogens on pregnancy rates remains controversial.2
A recent review aimed at
searching the rationale for the treatment of idiopathic male factor infertility over the past 20 years concluded that there is no evidence supporting androgen and gonadotrophin use for enhancing male fertility. Evidence regarding anti-oestrogen, aromatase inhibitor and antioxidant use was found to be insufficient. No therapeutic drug option was found to clearly benefit idiopathic impaired male fertility in
© TOUCH BRIEFINGS 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76