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Review
. 2021 Mar 20;10(3):241.
doi: 10.3390/biology10030241.

Dietary Antioxidants in the Treatment of Male Infertility: Counteracting Oxidative Stress

Affiliations
Review

Dietary Antioxidants in the Treatment of Male Infertility: Counteracting Oxidative Stress

Elizabeth Torres-Arce et al. Biology (Basel). .

Abstract

Infertility affects about 15% of the population and male factors only are responsible for ~25-30% of cases of infertility. Currently, the etiology of suboptimal semen quality is poorly understood, and many environmental and genetic factors, including oxidative stress, have been implicated. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of free radicals, or reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the capacity of the body to counteract their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants. The purpose of this review, by employing the joint expertise of international researchers specialized in nutrition and male fertility areas, is to update the knowledge about the reproductive consequences of excessive ROS concentrations and oxidative stress on the semen quality and Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) clinical outcomes, to discuss the role of antioxidants in fertility outcomes, and finally to discuss why foods and dietary patterns are more innocuous long term solution for ameliorating oxidative stress and therefore semen quality results and ART fertility outcomes. Since this is a narrative review and not a systematic/meta-analysis, the summarized information in the present study should be considered cautiously.

Keywords: DNA fragmentation; antioxidant paradox; antioxidants; dietary patterns; foods; male fertility; nutrients; reactive oxygen species; semen quality; supplements.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during cellular respiration driven by the electron transport chain (ETC) in the mitochondria. Complex I, II, III, and IV constitute the ETC, and ATP synthase completes the oxidative phosphorylation. Fenton reaction constitutes the donation of an electron to transform H2O2 to two molecules of hydroxyl radicals. Abbreviations: ADP: Adenosine diphosphate. ATP: Adenosine triphosphate. CoQ: Coenzyme Q, ubiquinone. Cyt-C: cytochrome complex. FAD: FADH2 reduced form. FADH2: Flavin adenine dinucleotide. Fe2+: Ferrous ion. Fe3+: Ferric ion. H: Hydrogen. I.M.M.: Internal mitochondrial membrane. NAD: NADH reduced form. NADH: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. O2: Oxygen. O2−: superoxide. SOD2: Superoxide dismutase 2 (mitochondrial variety).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Location of SOD group in relation to cell and mitochondria. SOD1 (Cytosolic SOD or CuZn-SOD). SOD2 (Mitochondrial SOD or Mn-SOD). SOD3 (tetrameric extracellular SOD or EC-SOD).

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