JLE

Médecine de la Reproduction

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Nutrition and reproduction: the male contribution Volume 13, issue 4, Octobre-Décembre 2011

Authors
Hôpital Jean-Verdier (AP-HP), services d’histologie, d’embryologie, de cytogénétique et de biologie de la reproduction, CECOS, 93140 Bondy, France, Université Paris-13, CRNH IdF, unité de recherche en epidémiologie nutritionnelle, UMR U557 Inserm ; U1125 Inra ; Cnam, 93017 Bobigny, France, Hôpital Avicenne (AP-HP), département de santé publique, 93017 Bobigny, France, Hôpital Ambroise-Paré (AP-HP), unité de nutrition, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France

Infertility affects about 15% of couples seeking to obtain a pregnancy. In 20 to 50% of the cases, a deficiency in sperm quality or a male factor is observed. In more than 15% of cases, the causes of infertility remain unknown. Many factors, related to lifestyle or environment, may influence male fertility by leading to deleterious quantitative or qualitative effects on sperm. Among them, a recent and growing interest is put on weight and nutritional status of male partners of infertile couples. Oxidative stress plays a key-role in the involved mechanisms. An unbalanced pro-oxidants/antioxidants ratio, notably due to inadequate dietary intakes, can have deleterious consequences for male fertility.