The role of food supplements in the treatment of the infertile man

Reproductive BioMedicine Online

Volumn 7, Issue 4, 2003, Pages 385-391

  Comhaire, Frank H ^a   Mahmoud, Ahmed ^a  

^a Ghent University Hospital   (Belgium)

Author keywords

Antioxidants; Food supplementation; Male infertility; Nutriceuticals

Indexed keywords

ACETYLCYSTEINE; ALPHA TOCOPHEROL; ARGININE; ASCORBIC ACID; ASTACAROX; ASTAXANTHIN; BETA CAROTENE; CARNITINE; CARNITINE DERIVATIVE; ENTEROLACTONE; ESTROGEN; FISH OIL; FOLIC ACID; FOLLITROPIN; HERBACEOUS AGENT; HEXANOIC ACID; INHIBIN B; KALLIKREIN; LEPIDIUM MEYENII EXTRACT; LEVACECARNINE; LIGNAN; LINOLENIC ACID; LINSEED OIL; LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL; OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID; PROSTAGLANDIN; PROSTAGLANDIN SYNTHASE; PROXEED; PYCNOGENOL; PYRIDOXINE; UNCLASSIFIED DRUG; UNINDEXED DRUG; ZINC;

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY; ARTICLE; ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION; CELL FUNCTION; CLINICAL TRIAL; CONCENTRATION (PARAMETERS); DIET SUPPLEMENTATION; DOSE RESPONSE; DRUG MECHANISM; ENZYME INHIBITION; FERTILIZATION IN VITRO; FOOD INTAKE; HUMAN; INFLAMMATION; INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION; LEPIDIUM; LEPIDIUM MEYENII; MALE; MALE INFERTILITY; MORPHOLOGY; MOUSE; NONHUMAN; OLIGOSPERMIA; PROSTAGLANDIN SYNTHESIS; QUALITY CONTROL; RAT; SEMEN ABNORMALITY; SERTOLI CELL; SPERMATOZOON MOTILITY; VARICOCELE;

EID: 0344444142     PISSN: 14726483     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)61881-0     Document Type: Note

References (84)

1. Adlercreutz H, Bannwart C, Wahala K et al. 1993 Inhibition of human aromatase by mammalian lignans and isoflavonoid phytoestrogens. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44, 147-153.
2. Alvarez JG, Storey BR 1995 Differential incorporation of fatty acids into and peroxidative loss of fatty acids from phospholipids of human spermatozoa. Molecular Reproduction and Development 42, 334-346.
3. Aydin S, Inci O, Alagol B 1995 The role of arginine, indomethacin and kallikrein in the treatment of oligoasthenospermia. International Urology and Nephrology 27, 199-202.
4. Bartellini M, Canale D, Izzo PL et al. 1987 L-carnitine and acetylcarnitine in human sperm with normal and reduced motility. Acta Europaea Fertilitatis 18, 29-31.
5. Baumann J, von Bruchhausen F, Wurm G 1980 Flavonoids and related compounds as inhibition of arachidonic acid peroxidation. Prostaglandins 20, 627-639.
6. Bernard D, Christophe A, Delanghe J et al. 2003 The effect of supplementation with an antioxidant preparation on LDL-oxidation is determined by haptoglobin polymorphism. Redox Report 8, 41-46.
7. Bonde JP, Joffe M, Apostoli P et al. 2002 Sperm count and chromatin structure in men exposed to inorganic lead: lowest adverse effect levels. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 59, 234-242.
8. Cho KJ, Yun CH, Packer L, Chung AS 2001 Inhibition mechanisms of bioflavonoids extracted from the bark of Pinus maritima on the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 928, 141-156.
9. Christophe A, Zalata A, Mahmoud A, Comhaire F 1998 Fatty acid composition of sperm phospholipids and its nutritional implications. Middle East Fertility Society Journal 3, 46-53.
10. Comhaire FH 1976 Treatment of oligospermia with tamoxifen. International Journal of Fertility 21, 232-238.
11. Comhaire FH 2000 Clinical andrology: from evidence-base to ethics. The 'E' quintet in clinical andrology. Human Reproduction 15, 2067-2071.
12. Comhaire FH, Vermeulen L 1983 Effects of high dose oral Kallikrein treatment in men with idiopathic subfertility: evaluation by means of in vitro penetration test of zona free hamster ova. International Journal of Andrology 6, 168-172.
13. Comhaire FH, Monteyne R, Kunnen M 1976 The value of scrotal thermography as compared with selective retrograde venography of the internal spermatic vein for the diagnosis of "subclinical" varicocele. Fertility and Sterility 27, 694-698.
14. Comhaire FH, Rowe PJ, Farley TM 1986 The effect of doxycycline in infertile couples with male accessory gland infection: a double blind prospective study. International Journal of Andrology 9, 91-98.
15. Comhaire FH, de Kretser D, Farley TM, Rowe PJ 1987 Towards more objectivity in diagnosis and management of male infertility. World Health Organization Task Force on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility. International Journal of Andrology 7 (suppl.), 1-53.
16. Comhaire FH, Christophe AB, Zalata AA et al. 2000 The effects of combined conventional treatment, oral antioxidants and essential fatty acids on sperm biology in subfertile men. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids 63, 159-165.
17. Costa M, Canale D, Filicori M et al. 1994 L-carnitine in idiopathic asthenozoospermia: a multicenter study. Italian Study Group on Carnitine and Male Infertility. Andrologia 26, 155-159.
18. Dawson EB, Harris WA, Teter MC, Powell LC 1992 Effect of ascobic acid supplementation on sperm quality of smokers. Fertility and Sterility 58, 1034-1039.
19. De Aloysio D, Mantuano R, Mauloni M, Nicoletti G 1982 The clinical use of arginine aspartate in male infertility. Acta Europaea Fertilitatis 13, 133-167.
20. Depuydt CE, Mahmoud AM, Dhooge WS et al. 1999 Hormonal regulation of inhibin B secretion by immature rat sertoli cells in vitro: possible use as a bioassay for estrogen detection. Journal of Andrology 20, 54-62.
21. Eliasson R 1968 Biochemical analyses of human semen in the study of the physiology and pathophysiology of the male accessory genital glands. Fertility and Sterility 19, 344-350.
22. Fraga CG, Motchnik PA, Shigenaga MK et al. 1991 Ascorbic acid protects against endogenous oxidative DNA damage in human sperm. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 88, 11003-11006.
23. Gerris J, Comhaire FH, Hellemans P, Peeters K, Schoonjans F 1991 Placebo-controlled trial of high-dose Mesterolone treatment of idiopathic male infertility. Fertility and Sterility 55, 603-607.
24. Golan R, Weissenberg R, Lewin LM 1984 Carnitine and acetylcarnitine in motile and immotile human spermatozoa. International Journal of Andrology 7, 484-494.
25. Gonzales GF, Cordova A, Gonzales C et al. 2001a Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improved semen parameters in adult men. Asian Journal of Andrology 3, 301-303.
26. Gonzales GF, Ruiz A, Gonzales C et al. 2001b Effect of Lepidium meyenii (maca) roots on spermatogenesis of male rats. Asian Journal of Andrology 3, 231-233.
27. Goto S, Kogure K, Abe K et al. 2001 Efficient radical trapping at the surface and inside the phospholipid membrane is responsible for highly potent antiperoxidative activity of the carotenoid astaxanthin. Biochemical and Biophysical Acta 1512, 251-258.
28. Hansen M, Kurinczuk JJ, Bower C, Webb S 2002 The risk of major birth defects after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro fertilization. New England Journal of Medicine 346, 725-730.
29. Hargreave TB 1995 Debate on the pros and cons of varicocele treatment - in favour of varicocele treatment. Human Reproduction 10 (suppl. 1), 151-157.
30. Hellinga G 1976 Investigation of the semen. In: Clinical Andrology. William Heinmann Medical Books, London, pp. 15-29.
31. Hughes CM, Lewis SE, McKelvey-Martin VJ, Thompson W 1998 The effects of antioxidant supplementation during Percoll preparation on human sperm DNA integrity. Human Reproduction 13, 1240-1247.
32. Irvine DS, Twigg JP, Gordon EL et al. 2000 DNA integrity in human spermatozoa: relationships with semen quality. Journal of Andrology 21, 33-44.
33. Iwamoto T, Hosoda K, Hirano R et al. 2000 Inhibition of low-density lipoprotein oxidation by astaxanthin. Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis 7, 216-222.
34. Jeulin C, Lewin LM 1996 Role of free L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine in post-gonadal maturation of mammalian spermatozoa. Human Reproduction Update 2, 87-102.
35. Katz P, Nachtigall R, Showstack J 2002 The economic impact of the assisted reproductive technologies. Nature Cell Biology 4 (suppl.), s29-s32.
36. Kent-First MG, Kol S, Muallem A et al. 1996 The incidence and possible relevance of Y-linked microdeletions in babies born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and their infertile fathers. Molecular Human Reproduction 2, 943-950.
37. Kessopoulou E, Powers HJ, Sharma KK et al. 1995 A double blind randomized placebo crossover controlled trial using the antioxidant vitamin E to treat reactive oxygen species associated male infertility. Fertility and Sterility 64, 825-831.
38. Kohengkul S, Tanphaichitr V, Muangmun V, Tanphaichitr N 1977 Levels of L-carnitine and L-O-acetylcarnitine in normal and infertile human semen: a lower level of L-O-acetycarnitine in infertile semen. Fertility and Sterility 28, 1333-1336.
39. Koudstaal J, Bruinse HW, Helmerhorst FM et al. 2000 Obstetric outcome of twin pregnancies after in-vitro fertilization: a matched control study in four Dutch University hospitals. Human Reproduction 15, 935-940.
40. Lenzi A, Culasso F, Gandini L et al. 1993 Placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial of glutathione therapy in male infertility. Human Reproduction 8, 1657-1662.
41. Lenzi A, Lombardo F, Sgro P et al. 2003 Use of carnitine therapy in selected cases of male factor infertility: a double-blind crossover trial. Fertility and Sterility 79, 292-300.
42. Lewin A, Lavon H 1997 The effect of coenzyme Q10 on sperm motility and function. Molecular Aspects of Medicine 18 (suppl. S2), 13-19.
43. Ma K, Sharkey A, Kirsch S et al. 1992 Towards the molecular localisation of the AZF locus: mapping of microdeletions in azoospermic men within 14 subintervals of interval 6 of the human Y chromosome. Human Molecular Genetics 1, 29-33.
44. MacLeod J 1942 An analysis in human semen of a staining method for differentiating live and dead spermatozoa. Anatomical Record 83, 573-578.
45. Mahmoud AM, Comhaire FH, Depuydt CE 1998 The clinical and biologic significance of serum inhibins in subfertile men. Reproductive Toxicology 12, 591-599.
46. Mahmoud A, Kiss P, Kaufman JM et al. 2000 The influence of age and lead exposure on inhibin B serum levels in men. International Journal of Andrology 23 (suppl. 1), PO94 (abstr.).
47. Mayerhofer A, Meineke V, Köhn FM, Frungieri M 2002 O-03 Cyclooxygenase (COX-2) in male infertility: a new link between prostaglandins and testicular fibrosis? Andrologia 34, 272 (abstr.).
48. Meachem SJ, Nieschlag E, Simoni M 2001 Inhibin B in male reproduction: pathophysiology and clinical relevance. European Journal of Endocrinology 145, 561-571.
49. Menchini-Fabris GF, Canale D, Izzo PL et al. 1984 Free L-carnitine in human semen: its variability in different andrologic pathologies. Fertility and Sterility 42, 263-267.
50. Moll AC, Imhof SM, Cruysberg JRM et al. 2003 Incidence of retinoblastoma in children born after in-vitro fertilisation. Lancet 361, 309-310.
51. Moncada ML, Vicari E, Cimino C et al. 1992 Effect of acetylcarnitine treatment in oligoasthenospermic patients. Acta Europaea Fertilitatis 23, 221-224.
52. Palermo G, Joris H, Devroey P, Van Steirteghem AC 1992 Pregnancies after intracytoplasmic injection of single spermatozoon into an oocyte. Lancet 340, 17-18.
53. Pryor JP, Blandy JP, Evans P et al. 1978 Controlled clinical trial of arginine for infertile men with oligozoospermia. British Journal of Urology 50, 47-50.
54. Rohdewald P 2002 A review of the French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol), a herbal medication with a diverse clinical pharmacology. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacologv and Therapeutics 40, 158-168.
55. Rolf C, Cooper TG, Yeung CH, Nieschlag E 1999 Antioxidant treatment of patients with asthenozoospermia or moderate oligoasthenozoospermia with high-dose vitamin C and vitamin E: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind study. Human Reproduction 14, 1028-1033.
56. Roseff SJ, Gulati R 1999 Improvement of sperm quality by Pycnogenol. European Bulletin of Drug Research 7, 33-36.
57. Rowe PJ, Comhaire FH, Hargreave TB, Mahmoud AMA 2000 WHO manual for the standardized investigation, diagnosis and management of the infertile male. 1. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
58. Ruiz-Pesini E, Alvarez E, Enriquez JA, Lopez-Perez MJ 2001 Association between seminal plasma carnitine and sperm mitochondrial enzymatic activities. International Journal of Andrology 24, 335-340.
59. Rümke P 1965 Autospermagglutinins: a cause of infertility in men. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 124, 696-701.
60. Schill W-B, Krizic A, Rjosk H 1979 Determination of various semen parameters and sex hormone levels in subfertile men during kallikrein therapy. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 120A, 537-546.
61. Scott R, Macpherson A, Yates RW et al. 1998 The effect of oral selenium supplementation on human sperm motility. British Journal of Urology 82, 76-80.
62. Sharpe RM 2003 The 'oestrogen hypothesis' - where do we stand now? International Journal of Andrology 26, 2-15.
63. Soufir JC, Ducot B, Marson J et al. 1984 Levels of seminal free L(-) carnitine in fertile and infertile men. International Journal of Andrology 7, 188-197.
64. Stromberg B, Dahlquist G, Ericson A et al. 2002 Neurological sequelae in children born after in-vitro fertilisation: a population-based study. Lancet 359, 461-465.
65. Sutcliffe AG, Taylor B, Li J et al. 1999 Children born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection: population control study. British Medical Journal 318, 704-705.
66. Tanphaichitr N 1977 In vitro stimulation of human sperm motility by acetylcarnitine. International Journal of Fertility 22 85-91.
67. Tiepolo L, Zuffardi O 1976 Localization of factors controlling spermatogenesis in the nonfluorescent portion of the human Y chromosome long arm. Human Genetics 34, 119-124.
68. Tournaye H 2003 ICSI: a technique too far? International Journal of Andrology 26, 63-69.
69. van der Ven K, Peschka B, Montag M et al. 1998 Increased frequency of congenital chromosomal aberrations in female partners of couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Human Reproduction 13, 48-54.
70. van Dissel-Emiliani FM, Grootenhuis AJ, De Jong FH, de Rooij DG 1989 Inhibin reduces spermatogonial numbers in testes of adult mice and Chinese hamsters. Endocrinology 125, 1899-1903.
71. Vanhoorne M, Comhaire FH, De Bacquer D 1994 Epidemiological study of the effects of carbon disulfide on male sexuality and reproduction. Archives of Environmental Health 49, 273-278.
72. Virgili F, Kim D, Packer L 1998 Procyanidins extracted from pine bark protect alpha-tocopherol in ECV 304 endothelial cells challenged by activated RAW 264.7 macrophages: role of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite. FEBS Letters 431, 315-318.
73. Vitali G, Parente R, Melotti C 1995 Carnitine supplementation in human idiopathic asthenospermia: clinical results. Drugs under Experimental and Clinical Research 21, 157-159.
74. Voliani S, Bertozzi MA, Rossi P, Menchini-Fabris GF 2001 The treatment of male infertility with L-carnitine/L-acetyl carnitine. XVII National Congress, Societa Italiana Andrologia SIA, Venezia 2001 8, 122 (abstr.).
75. Wang C, Makela T, Hase T et al. 1994 Lignans and flavonoids inhibit aromatase enzyme in human preadipocytes. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 50, 205-212.
76. Wennerholm U, Bergh C, Hamberger L et al. 2000 Incidence of congenital malformations in children born after ICSI. Human Reproduction 15, 944-948.
77. WHO 1980 WHO laboratory manual of the examination of human semen and semen-cervical mucus interaction. 1st edn. Press Concern, Singapore.
78. WHO 1987 WHO laboratory manual of the examination of human semen and sperm-cervical mucus interaction. 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
79. WHO 1992 A double-blind trial of clomiphene citrate for the treatment of idiopathic male infertility. World Health Organization. International Journal of Andrology 15, 299-307.
80. WHO 1999 WHO laboratory manual of the examination of human semen and sperm-cervical mucus interaction. 4th edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
81. Wildman REC, Medeiros DM 2000 Advanced human nutrition. CRC Press, London, pp. 370-371.
82. Wong WY, Merkus HM, Thomas CM et al. 2002 Effects of folic acid and zinc sulfate on male factor subfertility: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Fertility and Sterility 77, 491-498.
83. Zalata AA, Christophe AB, Depuydt CE et al. 1998 The fatty acid composition of phospholipids of spermatozoa from infertile patients. Molecular Human Reproduction 4, 111-118.
84. Zheng BL, He K, Kim CH et al. 2000 Effect of a lipidic extract from Lepidium meyenii on sexual behavior in mice and rats. Urology 55, 598-602.