Ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile males
IntroductionInfertility affects about 16% of North American couples, with the male factor contributing to ∼30% of cases. Reproductive hormones play an integral role in regulating the reproductive system and consequently, fertility. Oxidative stress reduces testosterone synthesis, and reduction in ox...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Reproductive Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frph.2023.1143579/full |
| _version_ | 1797809116582772736 |
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| author | Matineh Rastegar Panah Irtaza Tahir Bibiana Garcia-Bailo Kirk Lo Keith Jarvi Ahmed El-Sohemy |
| author_facet | Matineh Rastegar Panah Irtaza Tahir Bibiana Garcia-Bailo Kirk Lo Keith Jarvi Ahmed El-Sohemy |
| author_sort | Matineh Rastegar Panah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionInfertility affects about 16% of North American couples, with the male factor contributing to ∼30% of cases. Reproductive hormones play an integral role in regulating the reproductive system and consequently, fertility. Oxidative stress reduces testosterone synthesis, and reduction in oxidative stress can improve hormone profiles. Ascorbic acid is a potent antioxidant that accounts for up to 65% of seminal antioxidant activity; however, its effects on reproductive hormones in humans are unknown.MethodsThe objective was to determine the association between serum ascorbic acid concentrations and male reproductive hormones. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving infertile males (n = 302) recruited from Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto. Serum was analyzed for ascorbic acid, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (TT), prolactin and estradiol. Statistical analyses included Spearman's rank correlations, linear regressions, logistic regressions, simple slope and Johnson-Neyman procedures.ResultsAfter adjusting for covariates, ascorbic acid was inversely associated with LH (P = 0.01). Ascorbic acid was positively associated with TT only among males over the age of 41.6 years (P = 0.01).DiscussionOur findings show that ascorbic acid is associated with higher testosterone levels and improved androgenic status in infertile males, and some of the effects appear to be age dependent. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:47:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d55937c0fe964c5ca1315d011393d7a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-3153 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:47:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Reproductive Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-d55937c0fe964c5ca1315d011393d7a92023-06-08T05:09:31ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Reproductive Health2673-31532023-06-01510.3389/frph.2023.11435791143579Ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile malesMatineh Rastegar Panah0Irtaza Tahir1Bibiana Garcia-Bailo2Kirk Lo3Keith Jarvi4Ahmed El-Sohemy5El-Sohemy Lab, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaTemerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaEl-Sohemy Lab, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaMurray Koffler Urologic Wellness Centre, Division of Urology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaMurray Koffler Urologic Wellness Centre, Division of Urology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaEl-Sohemy Lab, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaIntroductionInfertility affects about 16% of North American couples, with the male factor contributing to ∼30% of cases. Reproductive hormones play an integral role in regulating the reproductive system and consequently, fertility. Oxidative stress reduces testosterone synthesis, and reduction in oxidative stress can improve hormone profiles. Ascorbic acid is a potent antioxidant that accounts for up to 65% of seminal antioxidant activity; however, its effects on reproductive hormones in humans are unknown.MethodsThe objective was to determine the association between serum ascorbic acid concentrations and male reproductive hormones. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving infertile males (n = 302) recruited from Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto. Serum was analyzed for ascorbic acid, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (TT), prolactin and estradiol. Statistical analyses included Spearman's rank correlations, linear regressions, logistic regressions, simple slope and Johnson-Neyman procedures.ResultsAfter adjusting for covariates, ascorbic acid was inversely associated with LH (P = 0.01). Ascorbic acid was positively associated with TT only among males over the age of 41.6 years (P = 0.01).DiscussionOur findings show that ascorbic acid is associated with higher testosterone levels and improved androgenic status in infertile males, and some of the effects appear to be age dependent.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frph.2023.1143579/fullascorbic acidmale infertilityhormonesreproductionsexual healthvitamin C |
| spellingShingle | Matineh Rastegar Panah Irtaza Tahir Bibiana Garcia-Bailo Kirk Lo Keith Jarvi Ahmed El-Sohemy Ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile males Frontiers in Reproductive Health ascorbic acid male infertility hormones reproduction sexual health vitamin C |
| title | Ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile males |
| title_full | Ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile males |
| title_fullStr | Ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile males |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile males |
| title_short | Ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile males |
| title_sort | ascorbic acid is associated with favourable hormonal profiles among infertile males |
| topic | ascorbic acid male infertility hormones reproduction sexual health vitamin C |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frph.2023.1143579/full |
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