Dietetic habits and quality of semen in Indian subjects
Jathar, V.S.; Hirwe, R.; Desai, S.; Satoskar, R.S.
Andrologia 8(4): 355-358
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0303-4569 PMID: 1008267 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0272.1976.tb01669.xDocument Number: 431120
134 men of low economic status were classified as having normal sperm count and morphology (50), oligozoospermia (60), or azoospermia (24). Each group was further classified into lactovegetarians, novegetarian-frequent meat eaters, and nonvegetarian-occasional meat eaters. Semen volume, viscosity, sperm count, motility, and morphology were studied by standard techniques. Total proteins, albumin content, fructose, citric acid, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, phosphorus, and Vitamin-B12 were measured from seminal plasma. The mean values for seminal plasma Vitamin-B12 activity are significantly lower in lactovegetarians from normozoospermic, oligozoospermic, and azoospermic groups. There was no significant effect of diet on sperm count, sperm motility, percent of abnormal sperm, total proteins, albumin, fructose, citric acid, and acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in normazoospermic subjects. The mean Vitamin-B12 content of seminal plasma in the azoospermic group was lower than the mean value in normozoospermic and oligozoospermic cases.