Probiotic administration improves sperm quality in asthenozoospermic human donors

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Microbiology
• Human Health

Background:

• Asthenozoospermia, characterized by poor sperm motility, affects male fertility.
• Oxidative stress, indicated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays a role in sperm dysfunction.
• Probiotics, beneficial microorganisms, have shown antioxidant properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CECT8361 and Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347 on sperm quality in asthenozoospermic males.
• To assess changes in sperm motility, DNA fragmentation, cell viability, and ROS levels after probiotic administration.

Main Methods:

• A study involving nine asthenozoospermic men.
• Administration of specific probiotic strains for six weeks, with assessments at baseline, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 and 6 weeks post-treatment.
• Evaluation of sperm motility (computer-assisted sperm analysis), DNA fragmentation (sperm chromatin structure assay), cell viability (flow cytometry), and intracellular ROS (flow cytometry).

Main Results:

• Sperm motility significantly increased (approximately 6-fold change).
• Sperm DNA fragmentation was statistically reduced (approximately 1.2-fold change).
• Intracellular ROS levels decreased significantly (approximately 3.5-fold change), while cell viability remained unaffected.

Conclusions:

• Probiotic supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus CECT8361 and Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347 shows promise in improving sperm motility.
• These probiotics may help reduce DNA fragmentation and ROS levels in asthenozoospermic males.
• Further research is warranted to confirm the therapeutic potential of probiotics for male infertility.