Zinc levels in seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men

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Abstract
Zinc levels were measured in seminal plasma from 78 men classified on the basis of spermogram analyses into five groups: normo-, oligo-, astheno-, oligoastheno- and azoospermia. Higher zinc levels were found in seminal plasma from the group of asthenozoospermia men in comparison to normo-, oligoastheno- (p < 0.001), oligo- and azoospermia men (p < 0.01), while no significant differences appeared when other group pairs were compared. Seminal plasma zinc levels were positively correlated with sperm density (r = 0.6358, p < 0.01) in asthenozoospermia men, whereas a significant negative correlation was seen in all groups between percentage forms showing normal progressive motility and zinc concentration in seminal plasma. Although zinc is required in seminal plasma for normal spermatozoon functionality, excessively high levels of this ion may be related with defective motility in asthenozoospermia samples.