Antioxidants increase the quality of sperm of adult and elderly men
Researchers of the National Laboratory named after Lawrence Berkeley, owned by the US Department of Energy, found that the consumption of trace elements and vitamins is closely related to the quality of sperm in elderly men. In young people, on the contrary, the consumption of food enriched with trace elements and vitamins does not affect the quality of sperm.
In recent years, more and more men have procreated after the age of 35, which causes some concern. The results of earlier work by the authors working under the guidance of Andy Wyrobek showed that the older a man is, the higher the probability of the presence of spermatozoa with fragmented DNA, chromosomal rearrangements and damage to DNA chains in his sperm. Sperm cells of older men are also more likely to carry mutations of certain genes that cause serious hereditary diseases, such as dwarfism. These data explain the reduced fertility of elderly men, and also indicate an increased risk of having children with genetic defects.
As part of their latest study, Vyrobek and his colleagues analyzed the sperm quality of 80 healthy volunteers aged 22 to 80 years (average age 44 years). Each of the participants answered 100 questions of a specially compiled questionnaire, which makes it possible to assess the daily intake of vitamins and minerals both as part of food and in the form of dietary supplements.
Based on the completed questionnaires, the participants were divided into three groups corresponding to high, medium and low levels of consumption of the analyzed compounds. The medians of daily consumed doses (as part of food and supplements) were 162 mg of vitamin C, 23.7 mg of vitamin E, 2.586 mcg of beta-carotene, 475 mcg of folic acid (vitamin B9) and 12.3 mg of zinc. At the same time, the consumption of these vitamins and trace elements by many of the participants, even those who considered themselves practically healthy, was significantly less than the recommended daily doses.
The results of comparing the quality of sperm and the quality of the diet showed that in the spermatozoa of men over the age of 44 who consumed the largest amount of vitamin C, DNA damage was 20% less common than in the spermatozoa of men of the same age group who consumed the least amount of ascorbic acid. The same pattern extended to vitamin E, folate and zinc and was not found for beta-carotene. At the same time, the revealed trend persisted when analyzing the data with the help of several statistical methods.
All of the above compounds are antioxidants capable of neutralizing reactive oxygen species that cause oxidative damage to cells. The results of a number of studies have shown that the use of biologically active additives containing antioxidants and fruits and vegetables rich in them helps to reduce the amount of oxidative DNA damage. Based on the results obtained, the authors suggest that the same protective mechanisms work in the reproductive tract of mature men.
The absence of a similar relationship between the use of antioxidants and the quality of sperm of young men indicates that older men should take a different approach to the issue of family planning. At the same time, the researchers note that they have identified only a clear relationship between the use of antioxidants and the quality of sperm, whereas the possible extension of this pattern to male fertility and the health of offspring requires further study.
Article by Thomas E. Schmid et al. Micronutrients intake is associated with improved sperm DNA quality in older men published in the journal Fertility and Sterility.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:
Nutrition Tied to Improved Sperm DNA Quality in Older Men.
29.08.2012