Improvement of seminal quality and sexual function of men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia syndrome following supplementation with L-arginine and Pycnogenol®

Abstract

We evaluated the effectiveness of antioxidant co-supplementation therapy using Larginine and Pycnogenol^® in Japanese men with oligoasthenozoospermia and mild erectile dysfunction (ED). A total of forty-seven adult males with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia syndrome (OAT) were eligible for enrollment. The effectiveness of supplementation with a combination of L-arginine 690 mg and French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol^®) 60mg for OAT and ED was investigated. The sperm concentration was enhanced significantly after treatment 2 and 4 months (11.79 ± 9.86 to 21.22 ± 28.17 and 20.15 ± 23.99 × 106/ml). Significant improvements in the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) were observed in the total score of IIEF (57.69 ± 11.04 to 59.43 ± 12.57) and domain of Orgasmic Function (9.01 ± 1.92 to 9.34 ± 1.66) after 4 months of treatment. L-arginine acts to increase the production of nitric oxide and Pycnogenol^® activates the endothelial nitric oxide synthase and it is a potent antioxidant and inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase. This study suggests that the combination of Pycnogenol^® and L-arginine (Edicare^®) is helpful for infertile men to ameliorate simultaneously quality of sperms as well as erectile functions.