Antioxidants in foods and supplements have been shown to have a wide range of physiological effects in humans and animals. These effects stem from their ability to reduce cellular damage by reducing the production of and generation of free radicals. This lowers oxidative stress and reduces the risk of disease. One aspect where antioxidants are perhaps overlooked is in male reproductive function. Estimates suggest that roughly 30-80 % of infertility is caused by oxidative stress and a reduced level of total seminal antioxidant capacity. Antioxidant supplements, or a diet high in antioxidants may reverse this oxidative stress and allow semen quality to improve, In particular, antioxidants improve number, motility, morphology and sometimes DNA integrity of sperm. A diet high in fruits and vegetables provides a significant number of antioxidants and should be seens as a diet that can improve infertility. Antioxidant supplements worth considering include vitamin E, vitamin C and coenzyme Q10.
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Ahmadi, S., Bashiri, R., Ghadiri-Anari, A. and Nadjarzadeh, A. 2016. Antioxidant supplements and semen parameters: An evidence based review. International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine, 14(12): 729
