Abstract
The influence of fruit and vegetable consumption on semen quality by reducing oxidative stress is inconsistent. Thus, the association between the consumption of these products, antioxidant status, and semen quality was investigated in 90 men aged 18–40. The consumption of fruit and vegetables was collected using the 3-day food record method. Antioxidant status: total antioxidant capacity in semen (TAC-s) and blood (TAC-b), blood superoxide dismutase (SOD-b), glutathione reductase (GR-b), glutathione peroxidase (GPx-b), catalase (CAT-b) activity, and malondialdehyde concentration in blood (MDA-b) were measured. Sperm concentration, leukocytes in the ejaculate, vitality, motility, and sperm morphology were examined using computer-aided semen analysis (CASA). The consumption of fruit and vegetables was positively correlated with sperm concentration, vitality, motility, TAC-s, TAC-b, and SOD-b activity. The TAC-s and TAC-b were positively related to motility, TAC-s was inversely correlated with sperm tail defects. The SOD-b activity was positively correlated with vitality, motility, sperm morphology, and inversely with sperm tail defects and leukocytes in the ejaculate. Compared to the men in the first quartile of fruit and vegetable consumption (<318 g/day), those in the highest quartile (>734 g/day) had the highest sperm concentration, vitality, motility, TAC-s, TAC-b, GPx-b activity, and the lowest MDA-b concentration (based on multivariate regression models). A high consumption of fruit and vegetables may positively influence selected sperm quality parameters by improving the antioxidant status of semen and blood.
Highlights
Results of epidemiological studies confirm the growing problem of idiopathic infertility in men
Considering that the influence of fruit and vegetable consumption on semen quality is inconsistent and no study has analyzed their consumption in relation to antioxidant status and semen quality simultaneously, this study aimed to examine the association between fruit and vegetable consumption, antioxidant status, and semen quality in adult men
Statistically significantly higher consumption of fruit and vegetables was observed in men without abnormalities in sperm quality (G1) compared to the other groups of men (G2, Group 3 (G3), and Group 4 (G4))
Summary
Results of epidemiological studies confirm the growing problem of idiopathic infertility in men. It is estimated that the problem of male infertility may affect up to 50% of couples in the world; this value may be underestimated because it does not reflect all world regions [1]. Many factors contribute to its development, i.a. environmental pollution, lifestyle, chronic diseases, and oxidative stress [2,3,4]. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a physiological role in spermatogenesis, i.a. they regulate the sperm maturation process and ability to fertilize [5,6,7]. Long-term oxidative stress leads to reproductive cell damage, including increased sperm cell membrane lipid peroxidation, decreased motility, and damaged sperm DNA
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