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Effect of Antioxidants on Sperm Genetic Damage

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Genetic Damage in Human Spermatozoa

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 791))

Abstract

According to worldwide statistics, between one in four and one in five couples have fertility problems. These problems are equally distributed between males and females. Modern lifestyle has obviously increased these problems: endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as plastic polymer catalysts, alkylphenols, phthalates and so on, and cosmetic additives seem to be strongly involved in this fertility problem. Many of these compounds increase oxidative stress (OS) and thus impair spermatogenesis. The oocyte has only a finite capacity, decreasing with maternal age, to repair sperm-borne decays. To decrease this DNA repair burden, reducing the sperm DNA damages linked to OS is tempting. Antioxidant vitamins are often given haphazardly; they are not very efficient and potentially detrimental. A detailed analysis of the sperm nucleus is mandatory (DNA fragmentation or lack of nuclear condensation) prior to any treatment. Here we discuss new concepts in OS and the corresponding therapeutic approaches.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. London Fertility Associates, 104 Harley Street, London, UK

    Yves Menezo & Brian Dale

  2. Laboratoire CLEMENT, 17 Avenue d’ Eylau, Paris, 75116, France

    Yves Menezo

  3. South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, USA

    Don Evenson

  4. Procrelys, Maison médicale Ambroise Paré, 28, avenue Rockefeller, Lyon, 69008, France

    Marc Cohen

  5. Centre for Assisted Fertilization, Via Tasso 480, Naples, Italy

    Brian Dale

Authors
  1. Yves Menezo
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  2. Don Evenson
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  3. Marc Cohen
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  4. Brian Dale
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Correspondence to Yves Menezo .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Florence, Italy

    Elisabetta Baldi

  2. Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Florence, Italy

    Monica Muratori

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Menezo, Y., Evenson, D., Cohen, M., Dale, B. (2014). Effect of Antioxidants on Sperm Genetic Damage. In: Baldi, E., Muratori, M. (eds) Genetic Damage in Human Spermatozoa. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 791. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7783-9_11

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