Effect of the oral intake of astaxanthin on semen parameters in patients with oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundHigher concentrations of seminal reactive oxygen species may be related to male infertility. Astaxanthin with high antioxidant activity can have an impact on the prevention and treatment of various health conditions, including cancer. However, efficacy studies on astaxanthin in patients with oligospermia with/without astheno- or teratozoospermia (O±A±T) have not yet been reported. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of the oral intake of astaxanthin on semen parameters.Patients and methodsIn a randomized double-blind trial, 80 men with O±A±T were allocated to intervention with 16 mg astaxanthin orally daily or placebo. At baseline and after three months basic semen parameters, sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of spermatozoa and serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) value were measured.ResultsAnalysis of the results of 72 patients completing the study (37 in the study group, 35 in the placebo group) did not show any statistically significant change, in the astaxanthin group no improvements in the total number of spermatozoa, concentration of spermatozoa, total motility of spermatozoa, morphology of spermatozoa, DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial membrane potential of spermatozoa or serum FSH were determined. In the placebo group, statistically significant changes in the total number and concentration of spermatozoa were determined.ConclusionsThe oral intake of astaxanthin did not affect any semen parameters in patients with O±A±T.

Impact of Antioxidant Therapy on Natural Pregnancy Outcomes and Semen Parameters in Infertile Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…Two trials investigated AOX therapy after varicocelectomy in men with clinical varicocele; both reported no additional benefit of AOX in reduction of SDF after varicocelectomy in these men compared to varicocelectomy alone, signifying the importance of addressing the underlying condition when possible, rather than empiric AOX supplementation [ 29 80 ]. One trial on astaxanthin supplementation reported no reduction in SDF compared to placebo [ 81 ], while another on folic acid reported SDF improvement only in carriers of MTHFR gene 677 thymidine/thymidine polymorphism [ 82 ]. Conversely, a recent multicenter RCT administering folic acid and zinc or placebo to 2,370 infertile men for six months reported a significantly lower SDF in patients compared to controls [ 83 ].…”

The effect of astaxanthin on human sperm parameters after cryopreservation

“…Based on this, they found that ASTA improve sperm viability, morphology and DNA integrity 45 . Kumalic et al in a study of their effect on semen parameters; observed that oral astaxanthin intake did not change semen parameters in patients in a study 16 . On the contrary, Dona et al conducted on human sperm, they added 0 μM, 0,5 μM, 1 μM and 2 μM concentrations of ASTA to semen samples taken from 24 male individuals with normozoospermia and incubated for 180 minutes.…”

“…ASTA, which is considered as the strongest and safest antioxidant in nature, protects the cell membrane and tissue against lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress 14,15 . Antioxidant activity of ASTA is 100 times higher than Vitamin E 16 , 6000 times higher than Vitamin C, 800 times higher than Coenzyme Q10, 4 times higher than lutein and 10 times higher than β-carotene [17][18][19] . Studies have shown that ASTA has an effective mechanism in protecting cell membrane structure 20,21 and increases human sperm motility 22,23 .…”

Micronutrientes en el tratamiento de la infertilidad masculina idiopática

“…54 En un ensayo controlado aleatorio, doble ciego, se administró astaxantina, compuesto de carotenoides, a una dosis de 16 mg/día durante 3 meses, lo que dio como resultado un aumento total (54,5% comparado con 10,5%) y por ciclo (23,1% comparado con 3,6%) de la tasa de embarazo en comparación con el grupo placebo. 55…”