Title:Administration of Antioxidants in Infertile Male: When it may have a Detrimental Effect?
Volume: 27
Issue: 24
Author(s): Fotios Dimitriadis *, Evangelos N. Symeonidis, Panagiota Tsounapi , Aris Kaltsas, Georgios Hatzichristodoulou, Ioannis Sokolakis, Athanasios Zachariou , Atsushi Takenaka and Nikolaos Sofikitis
Affiliation:
- 1st Department of Urology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, “G. Gennimatas” General Hospital, Thessaloniki,Greece
Keywords:
Male infertility, antioxidants, reactive oxygen species, antioxidant paradox, reductive stress, oxidative stress.
Abstract:
Background & Objective: Significant advances in the field of male infertility have been witnessed
during the last years. Given the well-known detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the administration
of antioxidants has emerged as a promising solution for oxidative stress (OS)-induced male infertility. Nevertheless,
this perception seems largely oversimplified, and the existing literature fails to recognize a notable superiority
of the excessive use of these widely available nutritional compounds. Taking into consideration that several
trials have shed light on the so-called “antioxidant paradox” phenomenon, we recognize that over-the-counter
consumption of such supplements might be harmful.
Methods: The relevant studies indexed in PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus databases, published until September
2019 were identified and reported.
Conclusion: In this setting, we acknowledge that there is an urgent need for more elaborate studies in the future
that will efficiently elucidate the risks and benefits of antioxidants on semen parameters and their impact on fertility
potential.
