# Investigating the Impact of Antioxidant Supplementation on Male Infertility: A Scoping Review

## TL;DR

This review explores how antioxidant supplements may help improve male fertility by boosting sperm quality and increasing pregnancy chances.

## Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive scoping review of recent randomized controlled trials on antioxidant supplementation for male infertility.

## Key findings

- Antioxidant supplementation improves sperm concentration, total count, and motility.
- Most studies report increased pregnancy rates following antioxidant use in infertile couples.
- Oxidative stress is identified as a key factor in male infertility, and antioxidants may counteract its effects.

## Abstract

Infertility affects thousands of couples internationally, leaving a profound effect on their families and communities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately one out of six individuals of reproductive age worldwide experiences infertility in their life span. Approximately 35% of infertile couples are affected by male factor infertility, in which semen analysis is the gold standard diagnostic procedure. Oxidative stress (OS) is considered to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of male infertility. A thorough literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Google Scholar databases, using MeSH terms and free-text keywords, to retrieve eligible articles published in the last decade, focusing on the potential beneficial role of oral antioxidants in male infertility. Antioxidant supplementation appears to improve the majority of sperm parameters. Therefore, antioxidant therapy is emerging as a promising aid in addressing male infertility. The purpose of this comprehensive literature review is to evaluate the significance of antioxidant supplementation in improving sperm parameters. Most of the included randomized controlled trials demonstrated the positive effects of oral antioxidants in various parameters, such as sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility and progressive motility. Consequently, pregnancy outcomes were evaluated, and increased pregnancy rates were reported in the majority of the included studies.