An Update of Sperm Preparation : A Review of Supplementation Substances to Improve Sperm Quality (original) (raw)
Related papers
Effects of antioxidants on human sperm preparationtechniques
Int J Androl, 1994
The effect of two different sperm preparation techniques, Percoll gradient centrifugation and swim-up from a washed pellet were tested on the functional competence of the selected spermatozoa. Percoll gradient centrifugation brought about an improvement in sperm motility parameters such as curvilinear velocity and straight-line velocity, an increase in the rates of hyperactivation and the acrosome reaction and an increase in the percentage of motile spermatozoa after 24 h of incubation compared to the centrifugation, swim-up procedure. The effects of antioxidants such as dithiothreitol (DTT) o r reduced glutathione (GSH), and reactive oxygen species-scavenging enzymes such as catalase or superoxide dismutase (SOD) during the stage of centrifugation before the swim-up procedure were also studied. Though all of these agents prevented the fall in sperm motility after 24 h incubation, only DTT and SOD improved the rates of both hyperactivation and the acrosome reaction. GSH also improved the acrosome reaction, whereas catalase was without significant effect on the rates of hyperactivation or the acrosome reaction. These results indicate that Percoll gradient centrifugation selects spermatozoa with better functional competence than does centrifugation swim-up. The damage caused by the centrifugation can be prevented by the addition of antioxidants, suggesting that the differences noted with the Percoll gradient method was due to better protection against peroxidative damage due to the centrifugation of unselected spermatozoa.' However, the use of DTT is limited by virtue of the fact that this sulphydryl reducing agent leads to destabilization of the sperm chromatin. In contrast, GSH and SOD could have therapeutic potential.
Journal of andrology
The mechanisms responsible for mediating the influence of sperm preparation protocols on human sperm function have been investigated. Techniques that involved the separation of motile spermatozoa prior to centrifugation were found to yield sperm suspensions of highest quality. If the spermatozoa were centrifuged prior to isolation of the motile cells, sperm function was impaired. The detrimental effects of centrifugation were associated with a sudden burst of reactive oxygen species production by a discrete subpopulation of cells (characterized by significantly diminished motility and fertilizing capacity) that could be separated from normal functional spermatozoa on Percoll gradients. If unfractionated sperm suspensions were subjected to centrifugation, the reactive oxygen species generated by this subpopulation impaired the functional competence of normal spermatozoa in the same suspension. Assessment of the ability of the antioxidants, butylated hydroxytoluene, and vitamin E, to ...
Effects of Biological Active Substances to the Spermatozoa Quality
Journal of microbiology, biotechnology and food sciences, 2016
The aim of this short review is to investigate the effects of biological active substances namely vitamin C and E, Quercetin, Tannic acid, Lycopene, Resveratrol, and Curcumin to viability and cryopreservation of spermatozoa; as well as the sensitivity of spermatozoa to reactive oxygen species and the strategies how to avoid oxidative stress (OS) by using naturally occurring antioxidants mentioned above. The oxidative stress, which has been associated with male infertility and many degenerative diseases, can be reduced by antioxidants via breaking the oxidative chain reactions. Lycopene is one the most highly efficient antioxidant and free radical scavenger and has protective effect on spermatozoa. Trans-Resveratrol also has positive effects on the production of spermatozoa. Consequently, one of the most prominent compounds “curcumin” which has widely been studied for its anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, antioxidant, wound healing and anti-cancer effects; as well as showed energy-...
Antioxidant supplementation in vitro does not improve human sperm motility
Fertility and Sterility, 1999
To determine the effects of supplementation of preparation media with ascorbate and ␣-tocopherol on subsequent sperm motility and reactive oxygen species production. Design: Prospective study to analyze postpreparation human sperm motility parameters and reactive oxygen species production following antioxidant supplementation. Setting: Andrology Laboratory, Royal Maternity Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Patient(s): Sixty patients attending the Andrology Laboratory for semen analysis. Intervention(s): Normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic semen samples (n ϭ 10 for each control and antioxidant group) were prepared by Percoll density centrifugation (95%-47.5%) in media supplemented with ascorbate or ␣-tocopherol to different concentrations within physiologic levels. Controls were included that were not exposed to antioxidant. Main Outcome Measure(s): Sperm motility parameters were assessed using computer-assisted semen analysis. The generation of reactive oxygen species was determined using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence.
2018
Intra uterine insemination (IUI) as one of the treatment for infertility, persists low success rate. A factor that contributes to the unsuccessful of IUI is sperm preparation, performed through Swim-up (SU) and Density Gradient Centrifugation (DGC) methods. Furthermore, studies have shown that Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a potent antioxidant that could enhance the sperm motility and protect the DNA integrity of the sperm [1]. This study is aimed to re-evaluate the efficiency of the DGC and SU methods in selecting sperm before being transferred for IUI by the supplementation of ALA based on the sperm DNA integrity. Semen samples were obtained from 13 men from partners of women who are infertile (normozoospermia) and underwent IUI. Semen analysis based on the guideline of World Health Organization (WHO) 2010 was performed to measure the sperm motility and velocity, before and after sperm preparation. Then, samples were incubated with Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) in 0.625 mg (ALA 1), 1.25 mg (ALA 2) and 2.5 mg (ALA 3). The Sperm Chromatin Dispersion (SCD) test was performed to evaluate the sperm DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI). The percentage of motile sperm was higher in prepared sperm (post-DGC and post-SU) than in whole semen. Furthermore, the percentage of motile sperm was higher in post-DGC compared to post-SU. The level of DFI after the supplementation of ALA was decreased in prepared sperm compared to the whole semen. ALA was proved capable to select the better sperm quality with decreased sperm DNA fragmentation of prepared sperm in the all of DFI category.
Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
Background and aims: Today, the prevalence of structural and functional disorders of sperm and subsequently the possibility of occurrence of autism, spontaneous abortion, and infertility has increased dramatically. This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of myoinositol and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) on the improvement of processed spermatozoa indices. Methods: In this study, 63 patients with male factor infertility were studied in Hazrat Zahra Infertility Center of Shahrekord. To do liquefaction, the semen sample was incubated at 37°C for 20 minutes. The Density Gradient Centrifugation protocol was used to process sperm. The processed sperm samples were incubated at 37°C for 20 minutes in four groups of control, myo-inositol (2 mg/mL), NAC antioxidant (10 Mm/L) and myo-inositol+NAC. All biological parameters of sperm were evaluated using Makler slide, SQA-V sperm analyzer gold version 2.48, TUNEL assay, and Toluidine blue staining. Results: In the present study, 63 men ...
A new stimulatory method for activation of sperm functions using Fertilaid in male infertility
American Journal of BioMedicine, 2020
This study aims to determine the effect of Fertilaid and L-carnitine on the oxidative stress and seminal fluid parameters of the infertile male. One hundred male participants were involved in this study. Seminal fluid samples were collected in duplicates and they were exposed into two forms of in vitro treatments: Fertilaid, and traditional L carnitine. The in vitro sperm stimulation by L Carnitine and Fertilaid in nutrient mixture Ham's F-10 have a significant increase in the activity of the motile sperm (sperm/million) (30.99 for grade A; 30.25 for grade B and 29.68 for grade C) as compared to sperm activation using L carnitine (sperm/million) (27.03 for grade A; 27.40 for grade B and 22.16 for grade C), p<0.05. Seminal levels of Malondialdehyde (1.02 nmol/ml) was significantly elevated in the infertile samples as compared to the fertile samples (0.94 nmol/ml), P<0.05. This was associated with a significant reduction in the seminal levels of reduced glutathione in the infertile samples (5.67 nmol/ml) as compared to the fertile samples (7.10 nmol/ml), p<0.01. In conclusion, in vitro semen activation by fertilaid showed a significant increase in the overall semen parameters as compared to the activation by L. Carnitine.
Antioxidants
Spermatozoa are highly differentiated cells that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to aerobic metabolism. Below a certain threshold, ROS are important in signal transduction pathways and cellular physiological processes, whereas ROS overproduction damages spermatozoa. Sperm manipulation and preparation protocols during assisted reproductive procedures—for example, cryopreservation—can result in excessive ROS production, exposing these cells to oxidative damage. Thus, antioxidants are a relevant topic in sperm quality. This narrative review focuses on human spermatozoa as an in vitro model to study which antioxidants can be used to supplement media. The review comprises a brief presentation of the human sperm structure, a general overview of the main items of reduction–oxidation homeostasis and the ambivalent relationship between spermatozoa and ROS. The main body of the paper deals with studies in which human sperm have been used as an in vitro model to test antioxidant comp...
Antioxidants in the treatment of male infertility
Health of Man, 2018
By affecting the process of spermatogenesis, several genetic, environmental, physiological and nutritional factors can reduce sperm quality and quantity and cause male infertility. The present study aimed to summarize studies conducted on the epidemiological and pathophysiological causes of male infertility, the effects of oxidative stress on poor sperm function and the role of antioxidants in the treatment of male infertility. In the present meta-analysis, the following key words were searched on PubMed, Google scholar, Scopus and Web of Science (1993-2013): male reproductive, male infertility, treatment for male infertility, antioxidant, role of antioxidant therapy, oxidative stress, antioxidant treatment in male fertility, oxidative stress and male infertility and effects of oral antioxidants on sperm quality. Oxidative stress is created by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) or free radicals. Although small amounts of ROS are required for sperm functioning, high levels of ROS can affect semen quality which is responsible for %25 of male infertility cases. However, there are antioxidants that have control over the production of ROS and the process of lipid peroxidation by collecting ROS and balancing useful oxidants creating oxidative stress. Thus, using these antioxidants has been recommended for the treatment of male infertility. the administration of L-Carnitine, Selenium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Glutathione and coenzyme Q10, as antioxidants, has been proven effective for improving sperm parameters.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are used in the empirical treatment of infertile men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of antioxidant therapy on conventional semen parameters and advanced sperm function tests in men seeking fertility treatment. A total of 148 infertile men of unknown etiology were divided into idiopathic (n = 119) and unexplained male infertility (UMI; n = 29). All participants were treated with the antioxidant supplement ‘FH PRO for Men’ for a period of three months. Compared with pretreatment results, there was a significant improvement in conventional semen parameters including sperm concentration, total and progressive motility and normal morphology, and seminal oxidation reduction potential (ORP), and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) in idiopathic infertile men. The changes were more prominent in idiopathic infertile men positive for ORP and SDF. UMI patients showed an improvement in progressive motility, ORP, and SDF after antioxidant treatment. Statistical analysi...