Zinc Levels In Seminal Plasma Are Associated With Sperm Quality In Fertile And Infertile Men

Main Category: Fertility
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology
Article Date: 22 Jun 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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UroToday.com - Insufficient intake of zinc (Zn) can impair antioxidant defenses and may be an important risk factor in oxidant release, compromising the mechanism of DNA repair, and making the sperm cell highly susceptible to oxidative damage. In the absence of Zn, the possibility of increased oxidative damage exists that would contribute to poor sperm quality. Infertile men and men who smoke are very susceptible to oxidative damage induced by free radicals. In the present study, we hypothesized that major changes in the level of seminal Zn levels are related with low quality of sperm and poor fertilizing capacity.

Semen samples were collected from fertile (smoker [n = 17], nonsmoker [n = 19]) and infertile men (smoker [n = 15], nonsmoker [n = 21]). After collection, semen specimens were allowed to liquefy at room temperature for 30 minutes and used for parameters analysis. On microscopic examination, sperm count, percentage of motile sperm, and sperm with normal morphology were objectively evaluated. Semen samples were centrifuged at 600g for 10 minutes. After centrifugation, supernatants were diluted 10-fold by deionized water. Levels of Zn were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).

Fertile groups (smokers or nonsmokers) demonstrated significantly higher Zn levels in their seminal plasma than any infertile groups (p<0.001). A trend was observed for lower mean Zn levels in seminal plasma of smokers compared with nonsmokers. Seminal Zn was positively correlated with sperm count (p<0.01) and normal morphology of sperm (p<0.001).

Decrease of seminal Zn can be a risk factor for sperm abnormality and idiopathic male infertility. Infertile men and men who smoke were susceptible to Zn deficiency in their seminal fluid. We hypothesized that in the absence of Zn, the possibility of increased oxidative damage exists that would contribute to poor sperm quality in the fertile man who smokes. Decreasing the effective concentration of Zn in seminal plasma of infertile and men who smoke, increases the harmful effects of ROS to sperm cells that are associated with abnormal sperm parameters. Poor Zn nutrition may be an important risk factor for low quality of sperm and idiopathic male infertility.

Written by: Abasalt Hosseinzadeh Colagar, Eisa Tahmasbpour Marzony, and Mohammad Javad Chaichi as part of Beyond the Abstract on UroToday.com

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