Reactive Oxygen Species
Oxygen is critical to support life as we know it. When we use oxygen to nourish our bodies, oxygen is modified into certain metabolites (“reactive oxygen species” or ROS) that are actually very volatile. The concern about ROS is that they can modify how cells function and may even harm cells such as sperm. Fortunately our bodies naturally protect our cells or sperm from ROS by generating a balanced amount of protective anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants can be supplemented by eating an anti-oxidant rich diet (ex. Lycopenes in ripe tomatoes) or by taking vitamins (A,C or E).
In the context of Male Fertility, ROS can be found in the reproductive tract of a man. It becomes a problem when a man makes more ROS than his body can handle. Up to 25-40% of infertile men have high levels of ROS. The concern is that these volatile substances can begin to adversely damage the integrity of the genetic information within the sperm (DNA) and prevent sperm from functioning properly since they spend so much time and energy protecting themselves from ROS.
Factors that induce ROS in the male reproductive tract:
- Spinal cord injury
- Dilated veins in the scrotum (varicocele)
- Infections of your prostate (prostatitis).
- Smoking
What can you do about high ROS levels in a man’s reproductive tract? Dr. Kuang at the Southwest Fertility Center for Men will obtain a thorough medical history and perform a comprehensive physical exam to determine if there is any identifiable cause of infertility that may be resulting in high levels of ROS. The goal will be to remove or minimize these factors with treatments such as antibiotics, surgery or behavioral changes and to supplement your anti-oxidant levels with vitamins and diet.