In this blog, we will describe the many studies showing how the different ingredients used in our dietary supplement could positively impact your semen’s parameters and help improve your fertility.
Infertility is on the rise with 40–50% cases that are due to a “male factor” (1) and as many as 40% of men in the reproductive age group present a quantitative and qualitative decline in sperm (2). It has been shown that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) are involved in male infertility, causing peroxidative damage to the sperm plasma membrane and disrupting DNA integrity.
Besides, avoidable risk factors (alcohol and smoking), simple lifestyle changes (e.g. dietary antioxidant supplements) may help minimize some of the deleterious effects that oxidative stress may have on spermatogenesis (semen production).
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin involved in the formation and function of membranes.
By scavenging the fertility damaging free radicals, Vitamin A has been shown to play a key role in semen production (spermatogenesis)
Indeed, men with normospermia have significantly higher retinol (vitamin A) levels in serum as well as in the seminal plasma than men with oligozoospermia (reduced number) and asthenozoospermia (reduced motility) as reported in a study (3).
Interestingly, in vitro animal study (mice) have shown that Vitamin A exerts its benefits by decreasing nuclear alterations and DNA damage in round spermatid (developing spermatozoa) and by inducing sperm motility (4-5). Further, Vitamin A initiates meiosis (gamete development) and the wave of spermatozoa production as recently reviewed (6).
Folate is a vitamin found in green vegetables, cereals and potatoes. In association with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, folate decreases the level of homocysteine responsible for protein damage.
Folate is essential to DNA synthesis and to methylation, a process that regulate gene expression.
Most of men (up to 80%) have a folate intake below the recommended range (7).
In combination with zinc, folic acid supplementation has been showed to increase sperm count by 74% (8)! This was later confirmed in a review including six meta-analysis (9).
Interestingly, a study showed that men with higher folate intake had lower frequencies of sperm aneuploidy (abnormal) as compared with men with lower intake (10).
Zinc is essential in spermatogenesis, being the cofactor of many enzymes (11). Further, it supports the absorption and metabolism of folic acid (12). Supplementation with Zinc only improved sperm concentration in subfertile males with idiopathic asthenozoospermia or oligozoospermia (13, 14).
Having both zinc+ folic acid in our supplement Male-Optimize may potentiate their beneficial effects on sperm quality.
sperm morphology by increasing NO levels through eNOS activity
Oxidative stress is a major cause for male infertility. Its prevention and/or management is one of the main line of therapy to use to minimize semen damage and reduce the risk for male infertility.
Thus, antioxidant supplementation may be a therapy of choice. The Male-Optimize supplement is the result of our extensive work in finding the best ingredients to counteract oxidative stress induced-DNA damage.
The Male-Optimize supplement, thanks to its many ingredients and their benefits, may support your fertility and helps improve your semen quality to increase your chances of conceiving. This all in one pill contains many ingredients enhancing mitochondrial activity (producing energy that boosts semen motility), reducing oxidative stress and inflammation thus inducing optimal seminal plasma composition to allow semen development and maturation into spermatozoa with the best fertilization potential.
Male-Optimize is now available for purchase online.
For more information about our supplements range, please consult our website.
References
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