[Zinc in the seminal plasma in infertile men]

Zinc, acid phosphatase and fructose in seminal fluid as well as FSH and LH in serum were determined in 223 men who were examined because of conjugal infertility. The concentrations of zinc, fructose and acid phosphatase in the seminal fluid of patients with normozoospermia (zinc 2.02 nmol/L; fructose 12.65 nmol/L; acid phosphatase 534063.49 U/L, oligozoospermia (zinc 2.09 nmol/L; fructose 12.79 nmol/L; acid phosphatase 553390.24 U/L) and azoospermia (zinc 2.10 nmol/L; fructose 12.56 nmol/L; acid phosphatase 599137.93 U/L) do not differ essentially. The average concentrations of zinc and acid phosphatase in the seminal fluid of patients with azoospermia and high concentrations of FSH and LH were significantly larger (zinc 2.58 nmol/L; acid phosphatase 683500.0 U/L) than those in patients with azoospermia and normal concentrations of FSH and LH (zinc 1.61 nmol/L; acid phosphatase 508750.0 U/L). In patients with normal gonadotropin levels, extremely low fructose concentrations in seminal plasma and congenital aplasia of seminal ducts, the concentrations of zinc in seminal plasma were enormously high.