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Antioxidants for male subfertility
Wiep de Ligny1, Roos M Smits1, Rebecca Mackenzie-Proctor2
1Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|May 4, 2022
Summary
Oral antioxidant supplements may increase live birth and clinical pregnancy rates in subfertile men. However, evidence is of low certainty, and further research is needed to confirm benefits and safety for male infertility.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Male Infertility
- Oxidative Stress
Background:
- Male factor infertility affects 10-15% of couples globally, with oxidative stress implicated in 25-87% of cases.
- Oral antioxidants are proposed to improve sperm quality by reducing oxidative damage.
- Current evidence for antioxidant effectiveness in male subfertility is uncertain and largely unregulated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral antioxidant supplementation in subfertile men.
- To compare benefits and risks of various antioxidants for male subfertility.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Searched multiple databases including Cochrane, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, AMED.
- Included 90 RCTs (10,303 men) comparing oral antioxidants with placebo or no treatment.
Main Results:
- Antioxidants may increase live birth rates (very low-certainty evidence) and clinical pregnancy rates (low-certainty evidence).
- No evidence of increased miscarriage risk, but mild gastrointestinal discomfort may occur (low-certainty evidence).
- Evidence certainty is limited by study bias, poor reporting, and small sample sizes.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence on antioxidant supplementation for male subfertility is inconclusive.
- Antioxidants may offer some benefit for live birth and pregnancy rates, but with potential side effects.
- Further large, well-designed trials are required to clarify the role of antioxidants in male infertility.
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