Cited by 277Sperm and Testicular FunctionReproductive Health and TechnologiesReproductive Biology and Fertility

Antioxidants for male subfertility

Open access
Smits, Roos M, Mackenzie-Proctor, Rebecca, Yazdani, Anusch, Stankiewicz, Marcin T, Jordan, Vanessa, Showell, Marian G·2019·Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Abstract

versus placebo or no treatment, Outcome 2 Live birth; placebo or no treatment........ Analysis 1.3.Comparison 1 Antioxidant(s) versus placebo or no treatment, Outcome 3 Live birth; IVF/ICSI.................................. Analysis 1.4.Comparison 1 Antioxidant(s) versus placebo or no treatment, Outcome 4 Live birth; as-treated analysis................ Analysis 1.5.Comparison 1 Antioxidant(s) versus placebo or no treatment, Outcome 5 Clinical pregnancy; type of antioxidant.... Analysis 1.6.Comparison 1 Antioxidant(s) versus placebo or no treatment, Outcome 6 Clinical pregnancy; placebo or no treatment.....................................

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1002/14651858.cd007411.pub4

Cites

238 of 238 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

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  • Taken together with previous findings, our results indicate that while antioxidants may reduce ROS, this does not appear to translate into reduced sperm DNA fragmentation.

    “Taken together with previous findings, our results indicate that while antioxidants may reduce ROS, this does not appear to translate into reduced sperm DNA fragmentation.”

    From The effect of antioxidants on male factor infertility: the Males, Antioxidants, and Infertility (MOXI) randomized clinical trial (2020) · cites this paper as [7]

    The review’s Sperm DNA fragmentation section says antioxidant use showed lower fragmentation than placebo, contrary to the claim that reduced fragmentation does not appear to follow. Its pooled estimate favoured antioxidants, although the 95% confidence interval included no effect, so the evidence for a reduction is uncertain. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • The Cochrane meta-analysis found that men treated with antioxidants had on average 5% lower DNA fragmentation, but the confidence interval was broad and crossed 0.

    “The recent Cochrane meta-analysis, which included 5 trials with a variety of antioxidants with a total of 254 subjects, found that men treated with antioxidants had on average 5% lower DNA fragmentation, but the confidence interval was broad and crossed 0. (7)”

    From The effect of antioxidants on male factor infertility: the Males, Antioxidants, and Infertility (MOXI) randomized clinical trial (2020) · cites this paper as [7]

    The Cochrane review reports a mean difference of −5.00 in DNA fragmentation for antioxidants versus placebo or no treatment, with a 95% confidence interval of −12.61 to 2.61, which crosses zero. It reports 254 men in four RCTs (six intervention arms), not five trials. The supplied passage gives no page number. (LLM, conf=0.92)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The recent Cochrane Review found that antioxidant use increased the odds of pregnancy by 2.97 fold.

    “The recent Cochrane Review found that antioxidant use increased the odds of pregnancy by 2.97 fold and the odd of live birth by 1.8 fold. (7)”
  • The recent Cochrane Review found that antioxidant use increased the odds of live birth by 1.8 fold.

    “The recent Cochrane Review found that antioxidant use increased the odds of pregnancy by 2.97 fold and the odd of live birth by 1.8 fold. (7)”
  • The Cochrane meta-analysis found a 12% absolute increase in motility in men treated with combination antioxidants for 3 months compared to controls.

    “However, the Cochrane meta-analysis did find a 12% absolute increase in motility in men treated with combination antioxidants for 3 months compared to controls. (7)”

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Cites

2 retracted

Flagged first, then by citations

2 of the 240 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Alvarez 2003 Alvarez 2003. Nuture vs nature: How can we optimise sperm quality?. Journal of Andrology 2003;24(5):640-8.
  2. Higgins JP, Green S, editors. Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 5.1.0 (updated March 2011). The Cochrane Collaboration 2011. Available from www.cochrane- handbook.org. Chichester UK: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

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Authors
Smits, R. M., Mackenzie-Proctor, R., Yazdani, A., Stankiewicz, M. T., Jordan, V., & Showell, M. G.
Affiliations
  • Radboud University Medical Center (NL)
  • Auckland City Hospital (NZ)
  • Queensland Fertility Group Research Foundation; 55 Little Edward St, Level 2 Boundary Court Spring Hill Brisbane Queensland Australia 4000
  • Ashford Specialist Centre Suite 22; 57-59 Anzac Highway Ashford Adelaide SA Australia
  • University of Auckland (NZ)
Venue
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2019-03-14
Volume
2019
Issue
3
ISSN
  • 1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
  • 1465-1858
OpenAlex
W3049686564
Cited by
277
References
240
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 52 · 2021: 52 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 2
FWCI
6.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
  • ResearchSpace (University of Auckland) (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
Keywords
antioxidants, male subfertility, male infertility, live birth, clinical pregnancy, in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, antioxidant supplementation

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