Excretion of alpha-tocopherol into human seminal plasma after oral administration

In this open controlled study, we investigated the blood and seminal plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in 15 unselected male volunteers, who received either 600, 800 or 1200 mg d-alpha-tocopherol per day for 3 weeks. During the intervention, both the blood and seminal plasma vitamin E concentrations increased significantly, although the increase did not correlate with the dose administered. The highest median blood and seminal plasma concentrations were achieved with 800 mg vitamin E per day, but the differences between the group medians were not significant, except in the blood plasma concentration after the first week of treatment between men receiving 600 and 800 mg per day (P < 0.05). No significant improvement was noted in the movement characteristics of spermatozoa, hypo-osmolar swelling of spermatozoa, or the velocity of deterioration in the parameters mentioned above. The seminal plasma vitamin E concentrations achieved during the treatment remained low (< 1 mumol l-1) compared to the concentrations found effective in protecting spermatozoa from peroxidative damage in vitro.