Vitamin C Increases Fertility

QUEENS, New YorkIn an open trial, 13 infertile but healthy men ages 25 to 35 were given 1,000 mg of vitamin C orally twice daily for a maximum of two months. The study, published in the Journal of Medicinal Food (9, 3: 440-442, 2006), recorded several semen parameters, including sperm motility, sperm count and sperm morphology at baseline and again at two months. General semen analysis recorded at baseline revealed oligozoospermia; mean sperm count was 14.3 ± 7.38 × 106 sperms/mL, mean sperm with normal morphology was 43 ± 7.87 percent and mean sperm motility was 31.2 ± 9.61 percent. After two months of vitamin C intake the same parameters were recorded to be significantly increased; sperm count was 32.8 ± 10.3 × 106 sperms/mL, mean sperm motility to 60.1 ± 8.47 percent and mean sperm with normal morphology increased to 66.7 ± 4.77 percent. The participants were screened for genital infection and varicocel prior to baseline and had a physical examination; other routine laboratory investigations were normal. Researchers concluded that vitamin C might have a place as an additional supplement to improve semen quality and increase chances of conception.