Science short
DHA supplements may boost semen and sperm quality: RCT
Ten weeks of supplementation with 1,500 mg per day of DHA was also associated with increases in omega-3 levels in semen and an improvement in antioxidant status, according to data published in Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine.
On the other hand, no differences between DHA and placebo were observed for semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and vitality, report scientists from IVI Murcia, the University of Barcelona, and the University of Murcia.
Study details
The Spain-based researchers recruited 57 men to participate in their study. Men were randomly assigned to receive either 1,500 mg per day of DHA or 1,500 mg per day of sunflower oil (placebo) for 10 weeks.
Results showed no differences between the DHA group and placebo group for traditional sperm parameters or the composition of the membrane of the sperm.
“However, an increase in DHA and Omega-3 fatty acid content in seminal plasma, an improvement in antioxidant status, and a reduction in the percentage of spermatozoa with deoxyribonucleic acid damage were observed in the DHA group after 10 weeks of treatment,” they wrote.
Source: Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine
Dec 2016, Volume 62, Number 6, Pages 387-395
“Dietary supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) improves seminal antioxidant status and decreases sperm DNA fragmentation”
Authors: J.C. Martínez-Soto
