Summary:
Background: Despite Zinc (Zn) deficiency being prevalent
in humans, less emphasis has been given on the
understanding of its impact on male reproduction.
Spermatogenesis has a strict requirement for zinc. The
relationship of seminal plasma zinc level and semen
parameter until now is controversial .
Objective : The study was done to find out the impact of
seminal plasma zinc and serum zinc level on semen
parameter of fertile and infertile males.
Subjects and methods: The study was done in Center for
Assisted Reproduction, a tertiary Infertility center in Dhaka
and in the Biochemistry Department of Bangabandhu Sheik
Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka. Sixteen fertile
males were taken as control and sixty nine infertile males
were taken as cases. Semen analysis was done according to
WHO criteria (.2004). Serum zinc and seminal plasma zinc
levels were measured in the Biochemistry Department of
BSMMU by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer.
Result: Seminal parameters between fertile and infertile
men showed significantly high sperm count, sperm motility,
rapid linear motility, and morphology in fertile group. In
fertile men, serum zinc level was lower than the infertile
group, whereas the seminal plasma zinc level was higher
in the fertile than the infertile group which was not
statistically significant. In fertile men except for serum
zinc, all parameters showed positive relationship; and in
infertile men, except sperm morphology, all other
parameters showed negative relationship. Seminal plasma
zinc shows positive correlation with all semen parameters
in fertile group and negative correlation in infertile group
except for sperm morphology. There is negative correlation
of serum zinc and seminal zinc-in both groups. Regarding
other parameters, semen zinc shows positive correlation with
all parameter except sperm morphology in fertile men and
negative correlation with all parameter except sperm count
in infertile men.
Conclusion: Seminal zinc levels in fertile men are higher
than those in the infertile patients although the serum zinc
level is lower. Zinc levels in seminal plasma has a direct
relationship with semen parameters. Zinc deficiency may be
an important risk factor for low semen parameters and
idiopathic male infertility.
Key words: Seminal plasma zinc, Semen parameter, Male
infertility.
(J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2017; 35: 15-19)