Effects of combined supplementation with vitamin E and docosahexaenoic acid on oxidative stress markers in seminal plasma in asthenozoospermic men

One of the most effective factors contributing to sperm dysfunction and reducing the sperm motility is increasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress of seminal plasma. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of combined docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and vitamin E supplements on oxidative stress markers in seminal plasma in asthenozoospermic men. In this randomized، triple-blind، placebo-controlled clinical trial، out of 275 men who referred to Avicenna infertility clinic، fifty asthenozoospermic males، defined as less than 50% sperm motility or less than 25% with rapid progressive motility. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups according to the stratified blocked randomization. Participants in the intervention group took daily 465 mg of DHA and 600 IU of vitamin E; and those in the control group took daily two placebos for 12 weeks. 8-isoprostane، total antioxiant capacity (TAC)، and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations، sperm characteristics، dietary intakes، anthropometric measurements and physical activity were measured at the baseline and at the end of the study. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software. The statistical tests were analyzed of covariance، student''s t-test، paired-samples t-test، Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney. Out of 50 participants، 22 men in the intervention group and 20 men in the control group completed the protocol of the study. TAC concentration of seminal plasma significantly increased in the intervention group، as compared with the control values (P<0. 001). 8-isoprostane (P=0. 033) and MDA (P=0. 002) concentration of seminal plasma significantly decreased in the intervention group، as compared with the control values. According to this research، combined DHA and vitamin E supplements led to decreasing oxidative stress of seminal plasma. Because of the effects of ROS on sperm dysfunction، intakes of antioxidants such as vitamin E may reduce oxidative stress in infertile men.