Use of alternative and hormonal therapies in male infertility.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the patterns of use of alternative and hormonal therapies in men presenting for infertility evaluation.


METHODS
We administered a questionnaire on the use of alternative and hormonal therapies to 500 consecutive men presenting for infertility evaluation at our male infertility clinic. The questionnaire asked about the use of specific therapies (eg, vitamins, herbal medicine, or hormones), the monthly cost of these therapies, and whether the principal healthcare provider had been made aware of the use of therapies.


RESULTS
Of the 481 men who completed the questionnaire, 147 (31%) admitted to using one or more alternative therapies. Most of the men using alternative therapies (92 of 147, 63%) were taking one or more antioxidant vitamins or minerals (ie, vitamins C, E, selenium, zinc), and 18 men admitted to using herbal medicines. Of concern, 25 men reported using agents with clear hormonal activity (testosterone, clomiphene citrate), and 6 of these men had not informed their principal healthcare provider of this.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that a significant percentage ( approximately 30%) of men presenting for infertility evaluation do use alternative therapies. It is important to inquire about the use of these therapies because some of these treatments may be toxic to the gonads.
Zini
Armand
A
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Fischer
Marc Anthony
MA
Nam
Robert K
RK
Jarvi
Keith
K
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002996:Clomiphene / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006728:Hormones / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014815:Vitamins / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D006728:Hormones; D014815:Vitamins; D002996:Clomiphene; D013739:Testosterone