A 2026 expert consensus from the Global Andrology Forum reviews how antioxidants are used in male infertility, showing which practices are supported by expert agreement and where evidence is still lacking.
Lifestyle and sperm quality
A 2025 study showed that supplement use is widespread among IVF patients, with mixed impressions, limited evidence, and frequent confusion that leads many people to seek guidance from online communities rather than from clinical recommendations.
A 2025 review found that sperm DNA fragmentation testing provides useful insight into male infertility and may help in select cases, but inconsistent evidence, lack of test standardization, and variable results limit its routine use in fertility care.
A 2025 study showed that male obesity was linked to slightly slower embryo development, poorer ICM quality, and a higher miscarriage risk in donor egg IVF cycles, suggesting that paternal weight can subtly influence embryo health and pregnancy outcomes.
While multiple studies have shown the benefit of antioxidant supplements in improving male fertility, what effect excessive supplementation has isn’t clear. This post combines a new study with older studies that show high levels of supplements can harm male fertility. However, these studies all have their limitations, and better quality research is needed to draw conclusions.
Researchers in a 2023 study evaluated 34 common male fertility sperm supplement brands for safety and efficacy. They found that the majority exceeded the recommended daily allowance, with two that exceeded the tolerable upper intake level. Less than half had supporting studies for their use, with the overall quality of evidence being ranked as poor.
Researchers in a 2022 study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on infertile men who used antioxidant supplements, and found a benefit in pregnancy and semen parameter outcomes.
Researchers in a 2022 study examined the influence of paternal factors, such as semen parameters, paternal BMI and age, on aneuploidy.
Researchers in a 2021 study found that intake of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with lower sperm concentration and total sperm count.
Researchers in a 2020 study report on the results of the MOXI trial that tested the effectiveness of a sperm supplement cocktail (containing vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, selenium, and more) and found no benefit.
