OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the period of ejaculatory abstinence (EA) influences the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of semen or lipid peroxidation (LPO) of sperm membranes.
DESIGN: A prospective experimental trial.
SETTING: Academic medical center for reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
PATIENT(S): Forty men from infertile couples planning intrauterine insemination.
INTERVENTION(S): Men provided semen specimens after EA periods of 1 and 4 days.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Semen analysis, peroxidase staining, and assays for seminal TAC and sperm membrane LPO, with measures compared between days 1 and 4 within individuals (internal control) using paired t tests.
RESULT(S): The shorter period of EA (1 day vs. 4 days) resulted in statistically significant decreases in semen volume (-24%), sperm density (-28%), and total sperm count (-3.2%). There was a statistically significant increase in TAC with the shorter period of EA (1 day) compared with 4 days of EA. No difference was detected in sperm membrane LPO comparing 1 day of EA and 4 days of EA.
CONCLUSION(S): Higher seminal TAC obtained after a shorter period of EA could diminish oxidative stress-induced sperm damage by a mechanism independent of LPO. Shorter periods of EA may thus improve sperm quality by protecting from reactive oxygen species damage, even though lower numbers of motile sperm are produced after a shorter period of EA. This would be consistent with prior research indicating improved results after intrauterine insemination under these circumstances.
Written by:
Marshburn PB, Giddings A, Causby S, Matthews ML, Usadi RS, Steuerwald N, Hurst BS. Are you the author?
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Carolinas Healthcare System, Charlotte, North Carolina; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carolinas Healthcare System, Charlotte, North Carolina; Cannon Research Center, Carolinas Healthcare System, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Reference: Fertil Steril. 2014 Jun 30. pii: S0015-0282(14)00502-0.
doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.05.039
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 24993799
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