Results

There was a significant increase in seminal lead and cadmium levels among infertile males in comparison to controls. There were significant negative correlations between seminal lead and cadmium levels on one hand and certain semen parameters especially progressive sperm motility and vitality (HOS). Importantly, significant positive correlations were noted between seminal lead and cadmium levels on one hand and sperm DNA fragmentation percentage and semen ROS level in infertile men and controls on the other hand.

Conclusions

Thus, men with idiopathic male infertility had higher levels of lead and cadmium in their semen which correlated with impairment of sperm motility and vitality percentages and more importantly with higher sperm DNA fragmentation% and semen ROS level.

o assess the effect of smoking on sperm vitality, sperm DNA integrity, semen reactive oxygen species, and zinc levels in fertile men.

Methods

One-hundred sixty men were investigated. They were divided into 2 equal groups: healthy fertile nonsmokers and healthy fertile smokers. They were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and semen analysis. In their semen, sperm hypo-osmotic swelling test, sperm DNA fragmentation test, seminal reactive oxygen species, and zinc were assessed.

Results

Compared with fertile nonsmokers, fertile smokers were significantly associated with lower hypo-osmotic swelling test and seminal zinc levels and significantly associated with higher sperm DNA fragmentation percent and seminal reactive oxygen species levels.

Conclusion

Smoking (cigarettes/day and duration) has detrimental effects on sperm motility, viability, DNA fragmentation, seminal zinc levels, and …