ascorbic-acid and Infertility

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have deleterious or beneficial effects; this dual nature of ROS means that ROS act as intracellular signaling molecules and as defense mechanisms against micro-organisms. An overproduction of ROS results in oxidative stress, a deleterious process that damages cell structures, including lipids, proteins, and DNA. Oxidative stress plays a major role in various human disease states, including endocrine dysfunction. As a safeguard against oxidative stress, several endogenous nonenzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant systems exist. Antioxidants can delay or prevent oxidative stress and are widely used in the hope of maintaining health and preventing diseases. Although early studies suggested that antioxidant supplements promoted health, later clinical trials revealed that it may not be true in all cases. In this article, we provide a brief review of the pathophysiologic aspects of oxidative stress in a number of the most commonly human endocrionopathies (diabetes, male and female infertility and thyroid diseases) and review the therapeutic potentials of existing antioxidant strategies. We focus on human clinical trials and discuss the implications of their results. Based on the data reported so far, we conclude that the results reported challenge us to design better antioxidant trials in future, with a particular emphasis on identifying 1) appropriate doses 2) selecting the right populations 3) treating for optimal durations and 4) specific intracellular targeting mechanisms.

Topics: Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Diabetes Mellitus; Female; Humans; Infertility; Male; Oxidative Stress; Reactive Oxygen Species; Thioctic Acid; Thyroid Diseases; Ubiquinone; Vitamin E

To evaluate the impact of ascorbic acid of different doses as additional support during luteal phase in infertility treatment by means of a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, group comparative, double-blind study.. Voluntary daily oral intake of either ascorbic acid (1, 5, or 10 g/day) or Placebo for 14 days after follicle aspiration for IVF-ET procedure. Data was obtained on 620 cases of women, age <40 years, undergoing first IVF-embryo transfer cycles in two private outpatient infertility clinics. All women were stimulated by the same protocol. The mean age was 31.73 (+/- 4.4 SD) years.. No differences in clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate were noted in statistical logistic regression analysis between the four intake groups.. There was no clinical evidence of any beneficial effect, as defined by main outcome measures, of ascorbic acid on IVF-ET. Our data suggest there is no obvious value of high dosed intake of vitamin C during luteal phase in infertility treatment.

Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Ascorbic Acid; Double-Blind Method; Embryo Transfer; Female; Fertilization in Vitro; Humans; Infertility; Linear Models; Luteal Phase; Male; Pregnancy; Prospective Studies

The present study aimed to evaluate whether ascorbate, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, can improve fertilization and development of human embryos in vitro when added to the simple salt solution human tubal fluid (HTF) or the complex tissue culture medium Ham's F-10, which contains iron and copper in its formulation. Human oocytes, spermatozoa and embryos from 83 infertile IVF couples were randomly allocated and cultured in the presence or absence of 62.5 microM ascorbate in HTF medium (39 couples) or Ham's F-10 medium (44 couples). No significant effect of ascorbate on fertilization, number of cells and embryo grade per embryo on days 2 and 3 after insemination, or percentage of embryos showing developmental block on day 3 (those embryos that were still at the 2-cell stage) was observed when data were analysed together or divided into several groups according to the cause of infertility, quality of semen sample used for insemination and women's age in either of the two media tested. Despite these results, a positive effect of ascorbate on fertilization and embryo development in vitro cannot be totally ruled out until the effects of other, non-physiological concentrations of ascorbate and longer-term embryo cultures (to the blastocyst stage) have been tested.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Culture Media; Embryo, Mammalian; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Female; Fertilization in Vitro; Free Radical Scavengers; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Infertility; Male; Pregnancy; Reactive Oxygen Species

Female sub-fertility, a prominent complication due to Type 1 diabetes (T1D), is generally attributed to disturbances in menstrual cycles and/or ovarian defects/disorders. T1D women, however, are high in oxidative stress, although the impact of the same on their reproduction and associated events remains unknown. Therefore, we assessed the repercussions of elevated oxidative stress on the sperm fate (storage/utilization) in the reproductive tract milieu of T1D females and their fertility using the Drosophila T1D model (Df[dilp1-5]), which lacks insulin-like peptides and displays reduced female fertility.. We mated Df[dilp1-5] females to normal males and thereafter examined sperm storage and/or utilization in conjunction with oxidative stress parameters in mated Df[dilp1-5] females at different time points. Also, the impact of antioxidant (Amla or Vitamin C) supplementation on the above oxidative stress parameters in Df[dilp1-5] females and the consequences on their sperm and fertility levels were examined.. Df[dilp1-5] females showed elevated oxidative stress parameters and a few of their reproductive tract proteins are oxidatively modified. Also, these females stored significantly fewer sperm and also did not utilize sperm as efficiently as their controls. Surprisingly, amelioration of the oxidative stress in Df[dilp1-5] females' milieu through antioxidant (Amla or vitamin C) supplementation enhanced sperm storage and improved fertility.. Hyperglycemia coupled with elevated oxidative stress within the female reproductive tract environment affects the sperm fate, thereby reducing female fertility in T1D. In addition, these findings suggest that antioxidant supplementation may substantially aid in the mitigation of sub-fertility in T1D females.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Drosophila; Drosophila melanogaster; Female; Infertility; Male; Oxidative Stress; Semen; Spermatozoa

Cisplatin can lead to infertility due to its negative impact on the uterus and ovaries. This study aimed to explore the effects of Inositol and vitamin C on cisplatin-induced infertility. Forty-eight adult female Wistar rats were divided into eight groups (N = 6) and orally treated for 21 days. The treatments were as follows: negative control (saline), positive control (saline and cisplatin injected into the abdomen on day 15), T1-T3: rats given vitamin C (150 mg/kg), Inositol (420 mg/kg), and vitamin C + Inositol, respectively, along with cisplatin injected into the abdomen on day 15, T4-T6: rats given only vitamin C, Inositol, and vitamin C + Inositol, respectively. Vitamin C and Inositol enhanced cisplatin-induced histopathological improvements in the uterus and ovaries, raising progesterone and estradiol serum levels. Furthermore, the supplements enhanced ESR1 gene expression in the uterus and ovary, reducing uterine and ovarian apoptosis caused by cisplatin through modulation of caspase 3, 8, and Bcl-2 gene levels. These substances decreased ovarian and uterine malondialdehyde levels, boosted total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase, and alleviated oxidative stress. The findings reveal that vitamin C and Inositol shield against cisplatin-related infertility by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis in the uterus and ovaries.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Ascorbic Acid; Cisplatin; Female; Fertility; Fertility Agents; Infertility; Ovary; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Vitamins

Possible adverse effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) are linked to a decrease of antioxidant defenses and the production of free radicals. The increase of free radicals affects the mitochondrial functionality inducing apoptosis, which affects the phosphorylation and generation of key ATP in fertilization. Myrciaria dubia, known as "camu camu," is a fruit with high levels of ascorbic acid, which exerts an important antioxidant function in the prevention of premature cell damage. In this study, the effect of Myrciaria dubia flour on oxidative damage produced by ELF-MF (610 μT) was evaluated by detecting the activity of endogenous mitochondrial oxidoreductase enzymes in a complete sperm cycle of mice. We found that the MF caused a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in sperm quality, whereas the groups supplied with Myrciaria dubia flour (50 and 75 mg/kg of body mass) in ELF-MF exposure showed a significant recovery (P < 0.05) in parameters of viability, percentage of plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity, and index of epidymal sperm. This suggests that Myrciaria dubia flour would have an antioxidant activity that counteracts the damaging effects of ELF-MF in spermatogenesis and could be used as a natural ELF-MF protector. Bioelectromagnetics. 40:91-103, 2019. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Electromagnetic Fields; Flour; Free Radicals; Fruit; Infertility; Male; Mice; Myrtaceae; Oxidoreductases; Plants, Medicinal; Spermatogenesis; Spermatozoa

Randomized clinical trials show that men's use of antioxidant supplements during infertility treatment may improve clinical outcomes. However, important limitations in the design of most trials make it difficult to draw firm conclusions on their findings.. We examined whether men's intake of antioxidants and biologically related compounds without direct antioxidant capacity is associated with outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs).. We conducted a prospective cohort study of men in couples who underwent infertility treatment with ART using their own gametes between 2007 and 2017. We followed 171 couples who presented at Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center and underwent 294 autologous ART cycles for infertility treatment. Diet was assessed in both partners using an FFQ. The primary study outcome was the probability of achieving a live birth as a result of infertility treatment. Secondary outcomes were fertilization, implantation, and clinical pregnancy rates. Generalized linear mixed models with random intercepts were fitted to account for multiple ART cycles per woman while adjusting for confounding.. Men's vitamin C intake was positively associated with fertilization rate. The adjusted fertilization rate (95% CI) for couples in the lowest and highest quartiles of men's vitamin C intake were 69% (61-76%) and 81% (74-86%) (P-trend = 0.02). Men's β-carotene intake was positively associated with fertilization rate in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles but not in conventional in vitro fertilization cycles (P-interaction = 0.01). Men's α-carotene intake was inversely related to the probability of live birth. The adjusted probabilities of live birth for men in the lowest and highest quartiles of α-carotene intake were 43% (28-60%) and 22% (12-36%), respectively.. Men's intake of vitamin C and β-carotene is positively related to fertilization rate but this does not translate into higher pregnancy or live birth rates in couples undergoing infertility treatment.

Topics: Adult; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; beta Carotene; Birth Rate; Cohort Studies; Dietary Supplements; Female; Fertilization in Vitro; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infertility; Live Birth; Male; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Prospective Studies; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic

Worldwide statistics agree that at least one out of six couples has fertility problems. If the male gamete is the origin of this problem, it is generally admitted that the oxidative stress is involved. Modern life has obviously increased fertility problems through pesticides, xenoestrogenes, endocrine disrupting chemicals involved in plastic technology such as polychlorinated bisphenyls, bisphenol A, phthalates and alkylphenols… and other cosmetic additives. An important part of these compounds increases oxidative stress, at least in part. Oxidative stress is more than probably at the origin or recurrent increasing pathologies such as endometriosis. If the oocyte is theoretically able to repair oxidative stress linked decays such as DNA fragmentation and oxidation of bases, its capacity is finite and decreasing with age. In order to decrease DNA repair charge, reducing or even avoiding the generation of DNA damages related to reactive oxygen species through consumption of antioxidants compounds is often tempting: however Reasons will be provided to break from current treatments given haphazardly in the population in the age of reproduction, as well as the potential risks of over-exposure. Furthermore recommended treatments, in relation with the new concepts in oxidative stress, will be specified.

Topics: Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Dietary Supplements; DNA Damage; DNA Repair; Female; Humans; Infertility; Infertility, Female; Infertility, Male; Male; Oocytes; Oxidative Stress; Selenium; Spermatozoa; Superoxide Dismutase; Ubiquinone

Autoagglutination in seminal fluid of husbands in three unexplained sterile couples was found in routine semen-analysis. Further exploration showed that sera and seminal fluid of these husbands agglutinate donors' sperm, while their wives' sera did not. Post-coital tests were not significant. After failure of conservative treatment with vitamin C, two couples agreed to AID followed promptly by pregnancies and deliveries. The possible connection between sterility and sperm-auto-agglutination is discussed, stressing the justification for looking at these phenomena more carefully and with more attention.

Topics: Adult; Agglutination; Ascorbic Acid; Autoantibodies; Female; Humans; Infertility; Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous; Male; Pregnancy; Semen

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Chemosterilants; Contraceptives, Oral; Female; Fertility; Houseflies; Hydroquinones; Infertility; Male; Milk; Solubility; Solutions

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; Female; Gynecology; Humans; Infertility; Infertility, Female; Thiamine; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Humans; Infertility; Infertility, Male; Male; Semen; Vitamin A; Vitamin E; Vitamins