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Lifestyle-, environmental-, and additional health factors associated with an increased sperm DNA fragmentation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Szabó, A, Váncsa, S, Hegyi, P, Váradi, A, Forintos, A, Filipov, T, Ács, J, Ács, N, Szarvas, T, Nyirády, P, et al
Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E. 2023;21(1):5
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The World Health Organization defines infertility as regular unprotected sexual intercourse without achieving conception within a year. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for functional, objective parameters reflecting fertility status more clearly than classical parameters. Of these, sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and the DNA fragmentation index – denoting the percentage of sperm with damaged DNA – seem to be of utmost importance. The aim of this study was to investigate all risk factors that may potentially be increasing SDF. This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of one hundred and ninety articles. The earliest studies were published in 2003, and the latest in 2021. Results show that several modifiable risk factors negatively affect SDF, namely; a. health conditions: varicocele [when veins become enlarged inside the pouch of skin that holds the testicles] and impaired glucose tolerance, b. infections: Chlamydia, c. malignancies: testicular tumours, and d. lifestyle factors: smoking, alcohol consumption and body mass index. Authors conclude that several lifestyle-, environmental-, and additional health factors are associated with increased SDF.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Infertility affects one in every six couples in developed countries, and approximately 50% is of male origin. In 2021, sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) testing became an evidence-based test for fertility evaluations depicting fertility more clearly than standard semen parameters. Therefore, we aimed to summarize the potential prognostic factors of a higher SDF. METHODS We conducted a systematic search in three medical databases and included studies investigating any risk factors for SDF values. We calculated mean differences (MD) in SDF with 95% confidence interval (CI) for exposed and non-exposed individuals. RESULTS We included 190 studies in our analysis. In the group of associated health conditions, varicocele (MD = 13.62%, CI: 9.39-17.84) and impaired glucose tolerance (MD = 13.75%, CI: 6.99-20.51) had the most significant increase in SDF. Among malignancies, testicular tumors had the highest impact, with a maximum of MD = 11.3% (CI: 7.84-14.76). Among infections, the overall effects of both Chlamydia and HPV were negligible. Of lifestyle factors, smoking had the most disruptive effect on SDF - an increase of 9.19% (CI: 4.33-14.06). Different periods of sexual abstinence did not show significant variations in SDF values. Age seemed to have a more drastic effect on SDF from age 50 onwards, with a mean difference of 12.58% (CI: 7.31-17.86). Pollution also had a detrimental effect - 9.68% (CI: 6.85-12.52). CONCLUSION Of the above risk factors, varicocele, impaired glucose tolerance, testicular tumors, smoking, pollution, and paternal age of over 50 were associated with the highest SDF. TRIAL REGISTRATION CRD42021282533.
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Rhodiola/Cordyceps-Based Herbal Supplement Promotes Endurance Training-Improved Body Composition But Not Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Biomarkers: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Study.
Liao, YH, Chao, YC, Sim, BY, Lin, HM, Chen, MT, Chen, CY
Nutrients. 2019;11(10)
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Physical inactivity has negative health consequences. Such consequences include muscle loss, weight gain, low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress and increased disease risk for metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The development of such chronic metabolic disorders often starts at a much younger age, long before it manifests as clinical disease decades later. Endurance exercise is one way to reduce the development and progression of metabolic disease. In addition, the herb Rhodiola crenulata (RC) and fungus Cordyceps sinensis (CS) have shown to bear benefits on metabolic disease parameters. Both have long been used in Chinese medicine for their health-promoting, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study sought to assess whether the benefits of regular endurance training can be futher enhanced with the supplementation of RC and CS. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 14 young sedentary adults who received an 8-week endurance training program. They also received either supplements or a placebo. Measurements and markers of body composition, oxidative stress and metabolic function were obtained before and after the intervention. The results found no difference in blood fats and oxidative stress markers between groups. In fact endurance training alone improved endurance capacity and glycemic control, but again with no particular difference between control and intervention. However, the supplementation group showed improvement in body composition with reduced body fat and increased muscle mass compared to the control group. Larger studies are needed to strengthen the results.
Abstract
Rhodiola crenulata (R) and Cordyceps sinensis (C) are commonly used herbs that promote health in traditional Chinese medicine. These two herbs have also been shown to exhibit anti-inflammation and antioxidant functions. Regular endurance training reveals potent endurance capacity, body composition improvement, and metabolic-related biomarker benefits. However, it is not known whether the combination of Rhodiola crenulata and Cordyceps sinensis (RC) supplementation during endurance training provides additive health benefits. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 8-week endurance training plus RC supplementation on body composition, oxidative stress, and metabolic biomarkers in young sedentary adults. METHODS Fourteen young sedentary adults (8M/6F) participated in this double-blind randomized controlled study. Participants were assigned to exercise training with placebo groups (PLA, n = 7, 4M/3F; age: 21.4 ± 0.4 years) and exercise training with the RC group (RC, 20 mg/kg/day; n = 7, 4M/3F; age: 21.7 ± 0.4 years). Both groups received identical exercise training for eight weeks. The body composition, circulating oxidative stress, and blood metabolic biomarkers were measured before and after the 8-week intervention. RESULTS Improvement in body composition profiles were significantly greater in the RC group (body weight: p = 0.044, BMI: p = 0.003, upper extremity fat mass: p = 0.032, lower extremity muscle mass: p = 0.029, trunk fat mass: p = 0.011) compared to the PLA group after training. The blood lipid profile and systemic oxidative stress makers (thiobarbituric reactive substanceand total antioxidant capacity) did not differ between groups. Although endurance training markedly improved endurance capacity and glycemic control ability (i.e., fast blood glucose, insulin, and HOMA index), there were no differences in these variables between treatments. CONCLUSIONS In this preliminary investigation, we demonstrated that an 8-week RC supplementation (20 mg/kg/day) faintly enhanced endurance training-induced positive adaptations in body composition in young sedentary individuals, whereas the blood lipid profile and systemic oxidative stress states were not altered after such intervention.