title: Effect of Astaxanthin, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C in Combination with Calorie Restriction on Sperm Quality and Quantity in Male Rats.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of calorie restriction and dietary antioxidant supplementation, separately or in combination, on the quality and quantity of sperm in male rats. Forty male rats were randomly allocated to four groups of 10 animals each, and fed for at least 86 days with an ad libitum diet (group 1), a restricted diet (group 2), an ad libitum diet and astaxanthin, vitamin E, and vitamin C supplements (group 3), or a restricted diet with astaxanthin, vitamin E, and vitamin C supplements (group 4). At the end of the study period, sperm count and motility were determined with a hemocytometer, and differences between the groups were analyzed by analysis of variance. In addition, total antioxidant capacity and 8-epi prostaglandin F2 alpha were measured at the beginning and end of the study period with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. After 86 days, a significantly higher sperm count was seen in group 4 compared to other groups. The percentage of immotile sperm was significantly decreased in groups 2, 3, and 4 compared to group 1. A significant increase in total antioxidant capacity was observed in group 3 (p = 0.02) and group 4 (p = 0.02) compared to groups 1 and 2. Antioxidant supplementation with or without calorie restriction had no significant effect on the serum isoprostane level in any group. Astaxanthinin, combined with vitamin E, vitamin C, and calorie restriction, was able to ameliorate, in part, infertility in male rats.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine , Hamadan University of Medical Sciences , Hamadan , I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Aliasghar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vahidinia
authors.affiliation: b Department of Nutrition, The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center , Bushehr University of Medical Sciences , Bushehr , I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rahbar
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine , Hamadan University of Medical Sciences , Hamadan , I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mehdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shakoori Mahmoodabadi
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031204:Caloric Restriction / Q000379:methods*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D024341:Xanthophylls; D014810:Vitamin E; C075750:8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha; C005948:astaxanthine; D015237:Dinoprost; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: (8-epi-PGF2α); 8-epi prostaglandin F2 alpha; astaxanthin; infertility; male; total antioxidant capacity; vitamin C; vitamin E