Effect of caffeine on human sperm penetration into zona-free hamster ova.

The effect of caffeine on spermatozoal ability to penetrate zona-free hamster ova was examined on fresh and frozen-thawed semen samples. The mean motility of 10 fresh semen samples incubated with caffeine significantly increased from 29% to 35%. Sperm penetration into zona-free hamster ova did not differ between the control group and the specimens to which caffeine was added. The same effect of caffeine on sperm motility and hamster ova penetration was noted in the frozen-thawed sperm samples. Motility was enhanced by 21%, but hamster ova penetration did not significantly change. The increase in sperm motility caused by caffeine does not change the fertilizing ability of fresh and frozen-thawed human sperm.