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Antioxidant Intake is Associated With Semen Quality in Healthy Men
2301
MALE INFERTILITY
motility and normal morphology to mean values of 33.1% and 7.0%, respectively, on days 11–14 of sexual abstinence. CONCLUSION(S): Our data challenge the role of abstinence in male infertility treatments and suggest that to present the best possible semen samples, patients with male factor infertility should collect the semen after just 1 day of sexual abstinence. Patients presenting normal sperm analysis or sperm donors for cryopreservation purposes should be advised not to exceed 10 days of sexual abstinence. Editorial Comment: In the traditional semen analysis men are instructed to give a sample after 2 days of abstinence. These investigators measured various parameters of the bulk semen analysis after varying amounts of time in men with oligospermia and normospermia. Interestingly, for men with oligospermia peak mean sperm concentration was observed after only 1 day of abstinence, while for men with normal density the sperm concentration began to increase on the third day. However, the peak in mean sperm concentration for men with oligospermia on the first day was accounted for by seminal volume that increased with time, so that for oligospermic samples a peak in total motile count was observed after 4 days of abstinence, whereas total motile counts for the men with normospermia increased throughout 7 days. Thus, while the individual parameters of volume, density and motility may vary, urologists may want to use the total motile count, which serves as a single parameter with which to assess male reproductive potential. As for optimal timing, 2 to 3 days of abstinence still seems to represent sage advice. Craig Niederberger, M.D. Antioxidant Intake is Associated With Semen Quality in Healthy Men B. ESKENAZI, S. A. KIDD, A. R. MARKS, E. SLOTER, G. BLOCK University of California, Berkeley, California
AND
A. J. WYROBEK, School of Public Health,
Hum Reprod, 20: 1006 –1012, 2005 Permission to Publish Abstract Not Granted Editorial Comment: To investigate if the intake of antioxidant vitamins C, E and betacarotene, and micronutrients zinc and folate quantity in an unaltered diet in healthy men are related to semen quality, these researchers sent a questionnaire to 97 healthy male volunteers. Men were excluded who had smoked cigarettes in the last 6 months, were infertile, had a history of prostate cancer or undescended testicles, or who had received chemotherapy or radiation treatment. In general, after controlling for covariates a high dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins C, E and beta-carotene was associated with better semen quality. Interestingly, in nearly all cases no dose relationship was observed, as moderate intake groups had the poorest semen quality. Folate and zinc intake were not associated with improved semen quality. Craig Niederberger, M.D. Influence of the Type of Undertrousers and Physical Activity on Scrotal Temperature A. JUNG, F. LEONHARDT, W. B. SCHILL AND H. C. SCHUPPE, Center of Dermatology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany Hum Reprod, 20: 1022–1027, 2005 Permission to Publish Abstract Not Granted Editorial Comment: To determine the effect of the kind of underwear on scrotal temperature, these investigators measured scrotal temperatures at 1-minute intervals with a portable data recorder connected to 2 thermistor temperature sensors, which were attached on either side of the scrotum. Temperatures were measured for 6 periods of 45 minutes with the patient walking on a treadmill or sitting, and with the patient wearing either tight, loose fitting or no underwear. These researchers found that scrotal temperatures were significantly higher for tight fitting underwear, less for loose fitting underwear and the least for absent underwear. Significantly lower scrotal temperatures were observed for walking versus sitting as well as for the right versus the left scrotal side. Typical differences identified in the study were in the range of a half to 1 degree centigrade. Thus, although wearing tight fitting underwear is associated with higher scrotal temperatures than wearing loose fitting underwear or none, the clinical effect on fertility remains to be demonstrated for the kind of underwear a man chooses to wear. Craig Niederberger, M.D.
MALE INFERTILITY
motility and normal morphology to mean values of 33.1% and 7.0%, respectively, on days 11–14 of sexual abstinence. CONCLUSION(S): Our data challenge the role of abstinence in male infertility treatments and suggest that to present the best possible semen samples, patients with male factor infertility should collect the semen after just 1 day of sexual abstinence. Patients presenting normal sperm analysis or sperm donors for cryopreservation purposes should be advised not to exceed 10 days of sexual abstinence. Editorial Comment: In the traditional semen analysis men are instructed to give a sample after 2 days of abstinence. These investigators measured various parameters of the bulk semen analysis after varying amounts of time in men with oligospermia and normospermia. Interestingly, for men with oligospermia peak mean sperm concentration was observed after only 1 day of abstinence, while for men with normal density the sperm concentration began to increase on the third day. However, the peak in mean sperm concentration for men with oligospermia on the first day was accounted for by seminal volume that increased with time, so that for oligospermic samples a peak in total motile count was observed after 4 days of abstinence, whereas total motile counts for the men with normospermia increased throughout 7 days. Thus, while the individual parameters of volume, density and motility may vary, urologists may want to use the total motile count, which serves as a single parameter with which to assess male reproductive potential. As for optimal timing, 2 to 3 days of abstinence still seems to represent sage advice. Craig Niederberger, M.D. Antioxidant Intake is Associated With Semen Quality in Healthy Men B. ESKENAZI, S. A. KIDD, A. R. MARKS, E. SLOTER, G. BLOCK University of California, Berkeley, California
AND
A. J. WYROBEK, School of Public Health,
Hum Reprod, 20: 1006 –1012, 2005 Permission to Publish Abstract Not Granted Editorial Comment: To investigate if the intake of antioxidant vitamins C, E and betacarotene, and micronutrients zinc and folate quantity in an unaltered diet in healthy men are related to semen quality, these researchers sent a questionnaire to 97 healthy male volunteers. Men were excluded who had smoked cigarettes in the last 6 months, were infertile, had a history of prostate cancer or undescended testicles, or who had received chemotherapy or radiation treatment. In general, after controlling for covariates a high dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins C, E and beta-carotene was associated with better semen quality. Interestingly, in nearly all cases no dose relationship was observed, as moderate intake groups had the poorest semen quality. Folate and zinc intake were not associated with improved semen quality. Craig Niederberger, M.D. Influence of the Type of Undertrousers and Physical Activity on Scrotal Temperature A. JUNG, F. LEONHARDT, W. B. SCHILL AND H. C. SCHUPPE, Center of Dermatology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany Hum Reprod, 20: 1022–1027, 2005 Permission to Publish Abstract Not Granted Editorial Comment: To determine the effect of the kind of underwear on scrotal temperature, these investigators measured scrotal temperatures at 1-minute intervals with a portable data recorder connected to 2 thermistor temperature sensors, which were attached on either side of the scrotum. Temperatures were measured for 6 periods of 45 minutes with the patient walking on a treadmill or sitting, and with the patient wearing either tight, loose fitting or no underwear. These researchers found that scrotal temperatures were significantly higher for tight fitting underwear, less for loose fitting underwear and the least for absent underwear. Significantly lower scrotal temperatures were observed for walking versus sitting as well as for the right versus the left scrotal side. Typical differences identified in the study were in the range of a half to 1 degree centigrade. Thus, although wearing tight fitting underwear is associated with higher scrotal temperatures than wearing loose fitting underwear or none, the clinical effect on fertility remains to be demonstrated for the kind of underwear a man chooses to wear. Craig Niederberger, M.D.