Positive Health Online

Abstract

YAMAMOTO and COLLEAGUES, 1. Research and Development Division, Kagome, Nasushiobara, Japan. Email: Yu_Yamamoto@kagome.co.jp; 2. Research and Development Division, Kagome, Nasushiobara, Japan; 3. Center for Information, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan; 4. Center for Infertility and IVF, International University of Health and Welfare Hospital, Nasushiobara, Japan; 5. Department of Pharmacy, International University of Health and Welfare Hospital, Nasushiobara, Japan; 6. Department of Urology, International University of Health and Welfare Hospital, Nasushiobara, Japan; 7. Department of Food and Nutrition, Facility of Contemporary Human Life Science, Tezukayama University, Japan; 8. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, International University of Health and Welfare Hospital, Nasushiobara, Japan conducted a study to investigate the effects of tomato juice consumption on seminal plasma lycopene levels and sperm parameters in infertile men.

Background

This study aimed to investigate the effects of tomato juice consumption on seminal plasma lycopene levels and sperm parameters in infertile men.

Methodology

Subjects were male infertility patients with poor sperm concentration (<20×10 6/mL) and/or motility (<50%). Following a four week observation period, subjects were randomly assigned among three groups: a tomato juice group, an antioxidant group, and a control group. The subjects in the tomato juice group and the antioxidant group daily consumed one can of tomato juice (containing 30 mg of lycopene) or one antioxidant capsule (containing vitamin C 600 mg, vitamin E 200 mg, and glutathione 300 mg), respectively, for 12 weeks (feeding period). Seminal plasma lycopene levels and sperm parameters were measured every 6 weeks during the feeding period.

Results

Forty-four patients completed the study (control group: 12, antioxidant group: 15, tomato juice group: 17). In the tomato juice group, plasma lycopene level was significantly increased at the 12th week of the feeding period. Moreover, a decrease in seminal plasma white blood cells and an increase in sperm motility in the tomato juice group were statistically significant at the 12th and 6th weeks, respectively, compared to the control group. In the antioxidant capsule group, no significant improvement was observed in semen parameters.

Conclusion

In conclusion, regular consumption of tomato juice seems to improve sperm motility in infertile patients. This is the first report to show that commercially available food, such as tomato juice, might be beneficial for male infertility.

References

Yamamoto Y1, Aizawa K2, Mieno M3, Karamatsu M4, Hirano Y5, Furui K5, Miyashita T2, Yamazaki K6, Inakuma T2,7, Sato I8, Suganuma H2, Iwamoto T4. The effects of tomato juice on male infertility. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 26(1):65-71. doi: 10.6133/apjcn.102015.17. Jan 2017.

Comment

The above research study demonstrated that the regular consumption of tomato juice improved sperm motility in infertile, suggesting that tomato juice may be beneficial for male infertility.