Chronic Prostatitis & Male Fertility
Some men who face the challenge of male infertility actually harbor low levels of inflammation in their prostates (prostatitis). It is most often due to infection. It is often hard to diagnose because most of these men have no symptoms, and their physical exam is normal. Often the tip-off that something is not quite right is the finding of inflammatory cells called leukocytes in the semen analysis. When there are more than 1-5 Million/mL leukocytes in the semen, it suggests the presence of prostatitis. When this is diagnosed, the treatment involves antibiotics, frequent ejaculation (to clear the leukocytes out of the reproductive pipes) and anti-oxidants. The inflammatory cells often release Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) which are chemical agents that harm innocent bystanders such as sperm (Pasqualotto et al. , Urology 55(6): 881-885, 2000).
Preliminary research suggest that sperm react to the toxic presence of leukocytes by undergoing a process of cell death (Hu et al., Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases 1-5: 1365, 2006). The anti-oxidants like Vitamin E & C can also help to minimize the deleterious effects of ROS on sperm.