Antioxidants for male subfertility
de Ligny W, et al
Published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Methodology
Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of oral antioxidants in subfertile men, with live birth and clinical pregnancy as primary outcomes.
Key Findings
Antioxidant supplementation in subfertile men may improve live birth and clinical pregnancy rates versus placebo or no treatment, but the evidence was graded very low certainty owing to serious risk of bias and imprecision; effects on individual semen parameters were inconsistent.
Conclusions
In this review, there is very low-certainty evidence from 12 small or medium-sized randomised controlled trials suggesting that antioxidant supplementation in subfertile males may improve live birth rates for couples attending fertility clinics.
Limitations
Most trials were small and at high risk of bias, few reported live birth, and heterogeneity in antioxidant type and dose was substantial.
Supplements Studied
Outcomes Measured
Antioxidants are widely available and inexpensive when compared to other fertility treatments, however most antioxidants are uncontrolled by regulation and the evidence for their effectiveness is uncertain
antioxidants may lead to increased live birth rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07 to 1.91, P = 0.02, 12 RCTs, 1283 men, I2 = 44%, very low-certainty evidence)
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
Access Study
Disclosures
Funding
Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group; no commercial sponsorship reported.
This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.