The effect of folic acid and zinc sulfate supplementation on men's infertility: A systematic review

Introduction:To study the effects of folic acid and zinc sulfate Supplement therapy on infertilemen, studies have shown that oral folic acid and zinc sulfate supplementation develops spermcount, physical characteristics, and motility of sperm in infertile men.The present study was conducted to study the effect of folic acid and zinc sulfatesupplementation on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of infertile men's sperm.Search Method:Scientific reports were searched on the PubMed and Google Scholar websitesfrom March ۱, ۲۰۰۲, to January ۳۱, ۲۰۲۲. These studies included data from infertile men treatedwith zinc and folic acid supplementation.Results:One hundred and seventy-seven studies on fertility and folic acid and zinc sulfatesupplementation were identified. Eleven relative publications were eligible for systematicreview. Finally, after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, ۵ clinical trials andrandomized clinical trials were found and the following results were obtained from infertilemen after folic acid and zinc sulfate supplementation:With folic acid daily dose of ۵ mg and zinc sulfate daily dose of ۳۰ mg and more, most of thesemen quality parameters (sperm concentration, motility, morphology, volume, and totalmotile sperm count) were not significantly different.Independent of fertility state, spermconcentration significantly increased after folic acid and zinc sulfate treatment only.Infertile men demonstrated a significant ۷۴% increase in total normal sperm count and a minorincrease of ۴% abnormal spermatozoa. Pre-intervention concentrations of folate and zinc in theblood and seminal plasma did not significantly differ between fertile and infertile men.Theresults indicated that intervention treatment significantly increased sperm concentration ininfertile males. Other semen and endocrine factors were not affected by intervention treatment.Conclusion: According to the findings of this review, the use of folic acid and zincsupplementation by men did not significantly improve semen quality or couples' live birth rates.Total normal sperm count increases after zinc sulfate and folic acid treatment in both infertileand fertile men.Although the beneficial effect on fertility remains to be established, this findingopens avenues for future fertility research and treatment and may affect public health.

کلیدواژه ها:

Infertility ، Zinc sulfate ، Folic acid