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Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research

Influence of ejaculation frequency on seminal parameters

Authors: B. Jose Manuel Mayorga-Torres, Mauricio Camargo, Ashok Agarwal, Stefan S. du Plessis, Ángela P. Cadavid, Walter D. Cardona Maya

Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Several factors have been shown to influence semen parameters, one of which is sexual abstinence; a clinical criteria included in the semen evaluation to provide maximum sperm quality. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a daily ejaculation frequency on conventional and functional semen parameters.

Methods

Semen samples were collected daily over a period of two weeks of which every second sample per person was processed and analyzed according to the World Health Organization guidelines. Furthermore, mitochondrial function, intracellular reactive oxygen species production and sperm DNA fragmentation were evaluated by flow cytometry.

Results

Total sperm count and seminal volume per ejaculation declined and remained decreased for the duration of the daily ejaculation period. However, conventional parameters such as sperm concentration, motility, progressive motility, morphology, vitality and functional parameters such as sperm plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA fragmentation was not significantly affected and remained similar to the initial measurement throughout the daily ejaculation period. Despite intra- and inter individual variations, the average values of the basic semen parameters remained above the WHO (2010) reference values throughout the daily ejaculation period. Interestingly, a decreasing trend in intracellular ROS production was observed, although statistically not significant.

Conclusions

The study shows that an extended 2 week period of daily ejaculation does not have major clinical effects on conventional and functional seminal parameters.
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Metadata
Title
Influence of ejaculation frequency on seminal parameters
Authors
B. Jose Manuel Mayorga-Torres
Mauricio Camargo
Ashok Agarwal
Stefan S. du Plessis
Ángela P. Cadavid
Walter D. Cardona Maya
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7827
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-015-0045-9

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