Effects of astaxanthin supplementation on human sperm quality during the freeze thaw process: a systematic review and meta analysis.

Plain-language summary

This study set out to examine whether astaxanthin (a potent antioxidant) could improve sperm quality after freezing and thawing. It pooled data from multiple studies to see how astaxanthin affected sperm viability, movement, shape, and DNA damage during the freeze-thaw process. The analysis found that astaxanthin improved sperm viability, progressive movement, and normal shape, but did not significantly help overall movement or DNA damage. The researchers noted that while the results are promising, the small sample sizes and variability between studies mean more research is needed to confirm these findings.

Key findings

• Astaxanthin improved sperm viability and progressive motility after thawing.
• Sperm with normal morphology increased with astaxanthin supplementation.
• No significant improvement in total motility or DNA damage was observed.
• Some sperm movement parameters (VAP and VCL) improved with astaxanthin.