Oxidative stress and sperm function: A systematic review on evaluation and management

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Biochemistry
• Andrology

Background:

• Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a dual role in male reproduction, being vital under physiological conditions.
• Supra-physiological levels of ROS induce oxidative stress (OS), impairing sperm function and leading to infertility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize distinct concepts on the association between ROS and male reproduction.
• To highlight the impact of OS on sperm parameters and infertility.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search using PRISMA guidelines across major databases (PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane).
• Inclusion of reviews, meta-analyses, original research, and guideline articles published between 1984 and 2018.
• Exclusion of irrelevant, non-English, non-human, case reports, and commentaries.

Main Results:

• Physiological ROS levels are crucial for sperm maturation, capacitation, and fertilization.
• Excessive ROS cause lipid peroxidation, sperm DNA fragmentation, and apoptosis, resulting in male infertility.
• Laboratory tests can diagnose OS in infertile men, guiding treatment with antioxidant supplementation.

Conclusions:

• Oxidative stress is a significant contributor to male factor infertility.
• Assessment of OS provides critical information for treatment strategies.
• Improving reproductive potential in males can be achieved by managing OS.