Male fertility, coenzyme Q10 improves sperm quality

Coenzyme Q10: helps men to be more fertile

Men suffering from fertility problems associated with low sperm quality can improve their situation by taking coenzyme Q10 supplements for at least 3 months. This important antioxidant would act by reducing oxidative stress, which alters sperm quality and can lead to infertility, and by activating enzymes that, in turn, have antioxidant action. The result is sperm that are in better shape and able to move better. Unveiling this potential of coenzyme Q10 is a study published in the journal Andrologyby a group of researchers from Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in Yazd, Iran.

All the properties of coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is a molecule that performs functions very similar to those of vitamins. It is often referred to as ubiquinone because it is present throughout the human body, in whose cells it is mainly concentrated at the level of the mitochondria, the organelles responsible for energy production.

Here coenzyme Q10 represents one of the cogs in the machinery that produces energy, but outside the mitochondria this molecule performs another important action: it protects against oxidation. This second function of its makes it possible to maintain adequate levels of important molecules such as vitamins E and C and makes it possible, as several scientific studies have shown, for coenzyme Q10 to help with angina, heart attacks, hypertension, and other cardiovascular disorders.

 Oxidative stress the enemy of male fertility

In many men experiencing infertility, sperm is characterized by increased oxidative stress. This situation impairs sperm quality and function. Similarly, low concentrations of coenzyme Q10 in sperm fluid have been associated with poor quality sperm. Although the exact mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain unknown, previously a study from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, Iran, published in the Journal of Urology showed that sperm quality can be improved by taking 300 mg per day of coenzyme Q10 for 26 weeks. 

However, only modest results were obtained in this first study. Experts at Shahid Sadoughi University, however, have confirmed with their new analysis the potential of coenzyme Q10 in counteracting male fertility problems, revealing that it may be greater than previously believed.

Efficacy demonstrated for 200 mg daily

The new study involved 66 infertile men whose sperm had concentration problems, malformations, and reduced motility. Of the participants initially recruited, 47 completed a trial that involved taking 200 mg of coenzyme Q10 daily or a placebo for a total of 3 months of treatment. The first finding from the analyses conducted on these patients was that taking coenzyme Q10 leads to increased levels of this molecule, the concentration of which rose from an average of 44.74 nanograms per milliliter of sperm fluid to about 68 nanograms per milliliter. 

This increase was associated with increased activity of two enzymes involved in the control of oxidative stress, catalase and superoxide dismutase. Finally, measurement of the levels of isoprostanes, molecules that indicate the presence of oxidative stress, made it possible to conclude that in addition to enhancing the level of enzymes with antioxidant activity, the intake of coenzyme Q10 actually reduces oxidative stress in seminal fluid. Based on these results, it is possible to conclude that taking 200 mg per day of coenzyme Q10 for 3 months could be an effective strategy to improve sperm quality in those suffering from fertility problems. To stay up to date with the latest news from scientific research, subscribe to our newsletter. 

Sources: Nadjarzadeh A, Shidfar F, Amirjannati N, Vafa MR, Motevalian SA, Gohari MR, Nazeri Kakhki SA, Akhondi MM, Sadeghi MR, "Effect of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation on antioxidant enzymes activity and oxidative stress of seminal plasma: a double-blind randomized clinical trial," Andrology. 2013 Jan 7. doi: 10.1111/and.12062 Safarinejad MR, "Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 on semen parameters, sperm function and reproductive hormones in infertile men," J Urol. 2009 Jul;182(1):237-48. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2009.02.121