The effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in men with chronic spinal cord injury: a clinical trial.

STUDY DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on IL-6, hs-CRP, FBS, anthropometric indices, food intake and blood pressure in male patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. METHODS: Fifty-eight men with chronic SCI participated in the study. Participants were divided in two groups: one group received 600 mg of supplemental ALA (n=28) and the other group received placebo (n=30) for 12 weeks. At the beginning and end of the study, biochemical parameters, anthropometric indices, blood pressure and dietary intakes were measured. Dietary intake was measured using N4 software, and statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS16. RESULTS: No significant reduction was found in IL-6 (P=0.97) and hs-CRP levels (P=0.23). There was significant reduction in fasting blood sugar (P=0.001), body weight (P=0.001), BMI (P=0.001), waist circumference (P=0.001) and blood pressure (P=0.001). Dietary intake was significantly reduced, including fat (P=0.001), carbohydrate (P=0.001), protein (P=0.002) and energy intakes (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Lipoic acid supplementation had no significant effect on the measured inflammatory markers but it reduces fasting blood sugar, anthropometric parameters, food intake and blood pressure in men with chronic SCI.

Effect of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation on antioxidant enzymes activity and oxidative stress of seminal plasma: a double-blind randomised clinical trial.

Low seminal plasma concentrations of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) have been correlated with impaired sperm parameters, but the exact mechanism remains of dominating interest. This randomised, placebo-controlled study examined the effect of CoQ10 on catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and F2 -isoprostanes in seminal plasma in infertile men and their relation with CoQ10 concentration. Sixty infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) were randomised to receive 200 mg d(-1) of CoQ10 or placebo for 3 months. 47 persons of them completed the study. Semen analysis, anthropometric measurements, diet and physical activity assessment were performed for subjects before and after treatment. Independent and paired t-test, chi-square test and ancova were compared outcomes of supplementation between two groups. CoQ10 levels increased from 44.74 ± 36.47 to 68.17 ± 42.41 ng ml(-1) following supplementation in CoQ10 (P < 0.001). CoQ10 group had higher catalase and SOD activity than the placebo group. There was a significant positive correlation between CoQ10 concentration and normal sperm morphology (P = 0.037), catalase (P = 0.041) and SOD (P < 0.001). Significant difference was shown between the mean of changes in seminal plasma 8-isoprostane in two groups (P = 0.003) after supplementation. Three-month supplementation with CoQ10 in OAT infertile men can attenuate oxidative stress in seminal plasma and improve semen parameters and antioxidant enzymes activity.

Coenzyme Q10 improves seminal oxidative defense but does not affect on semen parameters in idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia: a randomized double-blind, placebo controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Several lines of evidence show the implication of oxidative stress in the etiology of male infertility. Recently, the role of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the prevention and treatment of disease has been intensively probed. However, definitive efficacy studies in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) have not been completed yet. AIM: To evaluate the effect of CoQ10 supplementation on semen parameters in idiopathic OAT (iOAT). MATERIAL/SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial was carried out. A total of 47 infertile men with iOAT were randomly assigned to receive 200 mg CoQ10 daily or placebo during a 12- week period. Semen parameters were determined using microscopic evaluation according to World Health Organization guidelines. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring the concentration of plasma malondialdehyde. We evaluated the total antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma. To compare variables between and within the 2 groups we used independent t-test and Paired t-test. RESULTS: The trial showed non-significant changes in semen parameters of CoQ10 group. However, concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in serum of treated groups compared with the control. Furthermore, total antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma significantly increased in the CoQ10 group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results provide further evidence suggesting that CoQ10 supplementation is associated with alleviating oxidative stress, although it does not show any significant effects on sperm concentration, motility and morphology. It may be suggested that CoQ10 could be taken as an adjunct therapy in cases of OAT. Further studies are needed to draw a final conclusion.

Coronary heart disease and urinary albumin excretion rate in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients.

Associations between overnight urinary albumin excretion rate and prevalent coronary heart disease and its major risk factors were examined in a cross-sectional study of 141 Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients. Mean albumin excretion rate was higher in men (geometric mean 13.5 micrograms/min; 95% confidence interval 10.3-17.6) than women (7.5 micrograms/min; 5.7-9.8, p less than 0.01). In diabetic men and women mean albumin excretion rate was higher in those with electrocardiographic and/or symptomatic evidence of coronary heart disease than in those without (men, 23.1 micrograms/min; 95% confidence interval 13.7-39.0 versus 10.6 micrograms/min; 7.9-14.2, p less than 0.01, women, 13.7 micrograms/min; 8.0-23.5 versus 5.4 micrograms/min; 4.2-6.8, p less than 0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to allow for confounding between variables. In the diabetic group as a whole, raised albumin excretion rate (p less than 0.001), gender (p less than 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (p = 0.06) entered the "best" model for coronary heart disease prediction. In women, albumin excretion rate alone (p less than 0.01) and in men albumin excretion rate (p less than 0.01) and age (p = 0.05) entered the "best" models. We conclude that albumin excretion rate is significantly associated with coronary heart disease morbidity after taking into account the confounding effects of raised blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors.