Prolactin, fructose, and zinc levels found in human seminal plasma.

Fructose, zinc, and prolactin determinations were performed on the seminal plasma of normospermic (n = 30), oligospermic (n = 30), and azoospermic (n = 30) men to determine whether there was a correlation between any of these substances and seminal quality. None of these azoospermic men had congenital bilateral absence of the vasa, but in a separate group of such men (n = 10) these same studies were performed. Fructose was determined photometrically, zinc by atomic absorption, and prolactin by radioimmunoassay. Zinc and fructose levels in all three groups showed no statistical differences. Prolactin was found to be significantly higher in the seminal plasma of normospermic men than was found in the seminal plasma of oligospermic or azoospermic men. In men with congenital bilateral absence of the vasa and seminal vesicles, zinc was elevated, fructose was absent, and prolactin was markedly depressed.