Yamamoto Yu, Aizawa Koichi, Mieno Makiko, Karamatsu Mika, Hirano Yasuko, Furui Kuniko, Miyashita Tatsuya, Yamazaki Kazumitsu, Inakuma Takahiro, Sato Ikuo, Suganuma Hiroyuki, Iwamoto Teruaki
Research and Development Division, Kagome, Nasushiobara, Japan. Email:
Research and Development Division, Kagome, Nasushiobara, Japan.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2017 Jan;26(1):65-71. doi: 10.6133/apjcn.102015.17.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of tomato juice consumption on seminal plasma lycopene levels and sperm parameters in infertile men.
Subjects were male infertility patients with poor sperm concentration (<20×10 6/mL) and/or motility (<50%). Following a fourweek observation period, subjects were randomly assigned among three groups: a tomato juice group, an antioxidant group, and a control group. The subjects in the tomato juice group and the antioxidant group daily consumed one can of tomato juice (containing 30 mg of lycopene) or one antioxidant capsule (containing vitamin C 600 mg, vitamin E 200 mg, and glutathione 300 mg), respectively, for 12 weeks (feeding period). Seminal plasma lycopene levels and sperm parameters were measured every 6 weeks during the feeding period.
Forty-four patients completed the study (control group: 12, antioxidant group: 15, tomato juice group: 17). In the tomato juice group, plasma lycopene level was significantly increased at the 12th week of the feeding period. Moreover, a decrease in seminal plasma white blood cells and an increase in sperm motility in the tomato juice group were statistically significant at the 12th and 6th weeks, respectively, compared to the control group. In the antioxidant capsule group, no significant improvement was observed in semen parameters.
In conclusion, regular consumption of tomato juice seems to improve sperm motility in infertile patients. This is the first report to show that commercially available food, such as tomato juice, might be beneficial for male infertility.
本研究旨在调查饮用番茄汁对不育男性精液中番茄红素水平及精子参数的影响。
研究对象为精子浓度低（<20×10⁶/mL）和/或活力低（<50%）的男性不育患者。经过四周观察期后，将受试者随机分为三组：番茄汁组、抗氧化剂组和对照组。番茄汁组和抗氧化剂组的受试者分别在12周（喂食期）内每日饮用一罐番茄汁（含30毫克番茄红素）或服用一粒抗氧化剂胶囊（含维生素C 600毫克、维生素E 200毫克和谷胱甘肽300毫克）。在喂食期内，每6周测量一次精液中番茄红素水平和精子参数。
44名患者完成了研究（对照组：12名，抗氧化剂组：15名，番茄汁组：17名）。在番茄汁组中，喂食期第12周时血浆番茄红素水平显著升高。此外，与对照组相比，番茄汁组在第12周时精液中白细胞减少，在第6周时精子活力增加，差异均有统计学意义。在抗氧化剂胶囊组中，精液参数未见明显改善。
总之，经常饮用番茄汁似乎可提高不育患者的精子活力。这是首份表明市售食品如番茄汁可能对男性不育有益的报告。
