Vitamin A and beta-carotene content of seminal fluid and sperm of normospermic and oligozoospermic men.
Beta-carotene and vitamin A were estimated in 125 specimens of human seminal fluid and spermatozoa. In 72 of the specimens triiodothyronine, tetraiodothyronine, and T4-binding globulin were also determined. Vitamin A in seminal fluid increased from 10.4+/-l.8 microgram (SE) in severe oligozoospermia up to 19.1+/-2.5 microgram/100ml in specimens with high sperm densities. In spermatozoa, however, there was a trend for a decrease in vitamin content from 2.1+/-0.8 to 0.2 +/-0.07 microgram/108. In the majority of cases beta-carotene was undetectable and, when present, the levels were much lower than those of vitamin A. The amounts of triiodothyronine and tetraiodothyronine in seminal fluid were 0.19+/-0.03 ng/ml and 1.1+/-0.18 microgram/100ml, respectively. No correlation was found between levels of both hormones and quality of seminal fluid. T4-binding globulin was either very low or undetectable.
D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000032:analysis; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000378:metabolism*; D012661:Semen / Q000032:analysis*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000032:analysis*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000032:analysis; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000032:analysis; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis*
D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D013974:Thyroxine