Oral Zinc Supplementation Restores Superoxide Radical Scavengers to Normal Levels in Spermatozoa of Iraqi Asthenospermic Patients

Background: Oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant levels have been projected as potential factors involved in the pathophysiology of diverse male infertility types, including asthenospermia. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of zinc supplementation on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of semen along with oxido-sensitive index level (superoxide dismutase/xanthine oxidase ratio) in the seminal plasma of asthenospermic patients.

Methods: Semen samples were obtained from 60 fertile (age 31.6 ± 3.3 years) and 60 asthenospermic men (age 32.5 ± 3.23 years) from July 2011 to July 2012, from couples who had consulted the infertility clinic of the Babil hospital of maternity (Hillah, Iraq). The subfertile group was treated with zinc sulfate, every participant took 2 capsules (220 mg each) of zinc sulfate per day for 3 months. Semen samples were obtained (before and after zinc sulfate supplementation). Oxido-sensitive index level, catalase-like activity and various sperm parameters were measured.

Results: The value of the oxido-sensitive index of fertile controls (1.28 + 0.31 in seminal plasma and 1.57 + 0.62 in spermatozoa) was significantly higher than that of the infertile patient group (0.56 + 0.48 in seminal plasma and 0.65 + 0.57 spermatozoa) (p = 0.0001). Oxido-sensitive index levels were significantly higher in the infertile group treated with zinc sulfate (1.13 + 0.22 in seminal plasma and 1.15 + 0.16 in spermatozoa) (p = 0.001). Catalase-like activity was increased significantly in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of patients compared to that of healthy controls. Volume of semen, progressive sperm motility and total normal sperm count were increased after zinc supplementation.

Conclusion: Zinc supplementation restores oxido-sensitive index and catalase-like activity in semen of asthenozoospermic subjects to normal ranges.