by Abasalt Hosseinzadeh Colagar, MD, et al.
BERKELEY, CA (UroToday.com) - Insufficient intake of zinc (Zn) can impair antioxidant defenses and may be an important risk factor in oxidant release, compromising the mechanism of DNA repair, and making the sperm cell highly susceptible to oxidative damage. In the absence of Zn, the possibility of increased oxidative damage exists that would contribute to poor sperm quality. Infertile men and men who smoke are very susceptible to oxidative damage induced by free radicals. In the present study, we hypothesized that major changes in the level of seminal Zn levels are related with low quality of sperm and poor fertilizing capacity.
Semen samples were collected from fertile (smoker [n = 17], nonsmoker [n = 19]) and infertile men (smoker [n = 15], nonsmoker [n = 21]). After collection, semen specimens were allowed to liquefy at room temperature for 30 minutes and used for parameters analysis. On microscopic examination, sperm count, percentage of motile sperm, and sperm with normal morphology were objectively evaluated. Semen samples were centrifuged at 600g for 10 minutes. After centrifugation, supernatants were diluted 10-fold by deionized water. Levels of Zn were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).
Tags : infertility, research, zinc
