Is there a place for nutritional supplements in the treatment of idiopathic male infertility?


Submitted: October 10, 2014
Accepted: October 10, 2014
Published: September 30, 2014
Abstract Views: 5625
PDF: 3189
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Authors

  • Davide Arcaniolo Department of Urology, University of Federico II, Naples, Italy.
  • Vincenzo Favilla Department of Urology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
  • Daniele Tiscione Department of Urology, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
  • Francesca Pisano Department of Urology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
  • Giorgio Bozzini Department of Urology, Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Policlinico San Donato, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
  • Massimiliano Creta Department of Urology, University of Federico II, Naples, Italy.
  • Giorgio Gentile Department of Urology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy.
  • Filippo Menchini Fabris Department of Urology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
  • Nicola Pavan Department of Urology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
  • Italo Antonio Veneziano Department of Urology, Ospedale Madonna delle Grazie, Matera, Italy.
  • Tommaso Cai Department of Urology, University of Turin, Turin; Young Commision of Italian Andrological Society (SIA), Rome, Italy.
Objective: Infertility affects 15% of couples in fertile age. Male factor is a cause of infertility in almost half of cases, mainly due to oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). The purpose of this study is to review the effects of nutritional supplements as medical treatment for idiopathic male infertility. Material and methods: A Pub Med and Medline review of the published studies utilizing nutritional supplements for the treatment of male infertility has been performed. Results: Clinical trials on Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin C. Arginine, Carnitine, N-Acetyl-Carnitine, Glutathione, Coenzyme Q10, Selenium and Zinc were reviewed. Although there is a wide variability in selected population, dose regimen and final outcomes, nutritional supplements both alone and in combination seems to be able to improve semen parameters (sperm count, sperm motility and morphology) and pregnancy rate in infertile men. Conclusions: There are rising evidences from published randomized trials and systematic review suggesting that nutritional supplementation may improve semen parameters and the likelihood of pregnancy in men affected by OAT. This improvement, however, is not consistent and there is a wide variation in the treatment regimens used. Well designed and adequately powered RCTs are needed to better clarify the role of nutritional supplements as treatment for male infertility.

Arcaniolo, D., Favilla, V., Tiscione, D., Pisano, F., Bozzini, G., Creta, M., Gentile, G., Menchini Fabris, F., Pavan, N., Veneziano, I. A., & Cai, T. (2014). Is there a place for nutritional supplements in the treatment of idiopathic male infertility?. Archivio Italiano Di Urologia E Andrologia, 86(3), 164–170. https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2014.3.164

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