In a double-blind cross-over study of 20 infertile men, treatment with glutathione led to a statistically significant improvement of the sperm quality. The study concerned men in whom the sperm quality was poor due to unilateral varicocele or germ-free genital tract inflammation - two conditions in which ROS or other toxic compounds are indicated as causative factors (14, 15).
Treatment with glutathione was found to have a statistically significantly positive effect on, among other things, sperm motility (in particular forward motility) and on sperm morphology. The findings of these studies indicate that glutathione therapy could represent a possible therapeutical tool in cases where ROS or exposure to toxins is the probable cause of infertility (16).
About the author:
Priya Shah is the Editor of http://www.health-ebiz.com an ezine for Health and Wellness Entrepreneurs. http://www.1whey2health.com Free Report on Glutathione and Immunocal.
References:
1. Male infertility: nutritional and environmental considerations Sinclair S. Altern Med Rev 2000 Feb;5(1):28-38
2. Biochemistry of the induction and prevention of lipoperoxidative damage in human spermatozoa Storey BT. Mol Hum Reprod 1997 Mar;3(3):203-13
3. Oxidative stress and role of antioxidants in normal and abnormal sperm function Suresh C. Sikka, Ph.D., HCLD
4. Studies on the origin of redox enzymes in seminal plasma and their relationship with results of in-vitro fertilization. Yeung CH, Cooper TG, De Geyter M, De Geyter C, Rolf C, Kamischke A, Nieschlag E. Mol Hum Reprod. 1998 Sep;4(9):835-9.
5. Seminal plasma reduces exogenous oxidative damage to human sperm, determined by the measurement of DNA strand breaks and lipid peroxidation. Potts RJ, Notarianni LJ, Jefferies TM. Mutat Res. 2000 Feb 14;447(2):249-56.
6. Status of vitamin E and reduced glutathione in semen of oligozoospermic and azoospermic patients A. Bhardwaj, A. Verma, S. Majumdar, K. L. Khanduja Asian J Androl 2000 Sep; 2: 225-228
7. Glutathione in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of infertile men. Ochsendorf FR, Buhl R, Bastlein A, Beschmann H. Hum Reprod 1998 Feb;13(2):353-9 Zentrum Dermatologie und Venerologie
8. Relationship between oxidative stress, semen characteristics, and clincial diagnosis in men undergoing infertility investigation. Pasqualotto FF, Sharma RK, Nelson DR, Thomas AJ Jr, Agarwal A. Fertil Steril 2000;73:459-64
9. Oxidative stress in normospermic men undergoing infertility evaluation. Pasqualotto FF, Sharma RK, Kobayashi H, Nelson DR, Thomas AJ Jr, Agarwal A. J Androl. 2001 Mar-Apr;22(2):316-22
10. Dual function of the selenoprotein PHGPx during sperm maturation. Ursini F, Heim S, Kiess M, et al. Science 1999;285:1393-1396.
11. Selenium and fertility in animals and man a review. Hansen JC, Deguchi Y. Acta Vet Scand 1996;37:19-30.
12. Lipoperoxidation damage of spermatozoa polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): scavenger mechanisms and possible scavenger therapies. Lenzi A, Gandini L, Picardo M, Tramer F, Sandri G, Panfili E. Front Biosci 2000 Jan 1;5:E1-E15
13. Polyunsaturated fatty acids of germ cell membranes, glutathione and blutathione-dependent enzyme-PHGPx: from basic to clinic. Lenzi A, Gandini L, Lombardo F, Picardo M, Maresca V, Panfili E, Tramer F, Boitani C, Dondero F. Contraception 2002
14. Glutathione treatment of dyspermia: effect on the lipoperoxidation process Lenzi A, Picardo M, Gandini L, Lombardo F, Terminali O, Passi S, Dondero F. Hum Reprod 1994 Nov;9(11):2044-50
15. Glutathione therapy for male infertility Lenzi A, Lombardo F, Gandini L, Culasso F, Dondero F. Arch Androl 1992 Jul-Aug;29(1):65-8
16. Placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over trial of glutathione therapy in male infertility. Lenzi A, Culasso F, Gandini L, Lombardo F, Dondero F. Hum Reprod 1993 Oct;8(10):1657-62
