Ubiquinol Linked to Improved Male Fertility

Ubiquinol, the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), could provide hope for infertile men according to the results of a recent clinical trial.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial sought to investigate the effects of ubiquinol on sperm density, motility and morphology in infertile men with unexplained oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT).

OAT is characterised by low sperm count, poor sperm movement and abnormal sperm shape, and is one of the leading causes of male subfertility.

For six months, 228 men were randomly assigned to receive either a 200mg oral dose of ubiquinol or placebo. At the completion of the trial all three parameters (density, motility and morphology) had improved.

In another study supplementation with 200mg of CoQ10 a day for three months improved antioxidant enzyme activity and attenuated oxidative stress in 60 infertile men.

There was a significant positive link between CoQ10 concentration, sperm morphology and antioxidant enzyme activity.

A 12 month trial where infertile men received 300mg of CoQ10 twice a day resulted in significant improvements in sperm concentration, motility and morphology with a beneficial effect on pregnancy rate.

With one in six Australian couples struggling to conceive and low seminal plasma concentrations of CoQ10 linked to infertility, supplementation with coenzyme Q10 in either ubiquinone or its reduced form ubiquinol may help to improve sperm quality and improve fertility rates by increasing seminal CoQ10 levels, improving antioxidant defences and reducing oxidative stress.

Further Reading:

• Top 10 Male Fertility Killers
• Treating Infertility – What You Can Do
• Activated CoQ10 – The Super Star of Cellular Metabolism

References

1. Safarinejad MR, Safarinejad S, Shafiei N, et al. Effects of the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) on semen parameters in men with idiopathic infertility: a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized study. J Urol 2012;188(2):526-531.

2. Nadjarzadeh A, Shidfar F, Amirjannati N, et al. Effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on antioxidant enzymes activity and oxidative stress of seminal plasma: a double-blind randomised clinical trial. Andrologia 2013 Jan 7. [Epub ahead of print]

3. Safarinejad MR. The effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on partner pregnancy rate in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia: an open-label prospective study. Int Urol Nephrol 2012;44(3):689-700.

4. The Fertility Society of Australia. Viewed 29 Nov 2013, http://www.fertilitysociety.com.au/

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