A Systematic Review and Evidence-based Analysis of Ingredients in Popular Male Fertility Supplements

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#dietary-supplements #evidence-based-medicine #fertility #humans #male

A Systematic Review and Evidence-based Analysis of Ingredients in Popular Male Fertility Supplements

Kuchakulla et al., 2020 | Urology | Systematic Review

Citation

Kuchakulla Manish, Soni Yash, ... Ramasamy Ranjith. A Systematic Review and Evidence-based Analysis of Ingredients in Popular Male Fertility Supplements. Urology. 2020-Feb;136:133-141. doi:10.1016/j.urology.2019.11.007

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study the level of evidence available for ingredients of popular over-the-counter male fertility supplements. METHODS: The top 17 male fertility supplements in the United States were identified from the most popular online retailers: A1 Supplements, Amazon, Vitamin Shoppe, and Walmart. Individual ingredients were identified for each supplement. The PUBMED and Cochrane online databases were reviewed for randomized controlled trials studying the efficacy of each ingredient. Each ingredient was categorized based on availability of evidence using an adapted version of the scoring system by the American Heart Association. Scores were assigned to each categorical level of evidence for each ingredient and a composite score for each supplement was calculated. RESULTS: Ninety unique ingredients were identified. The 5 most commonly used ingredients were vitamin E, folic acid, zinc, vitamin C, and selenium whereas the 5 ingredients with most evidence were L-carnitine, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, CoQ10, and Zinc. In all, only 22% of ingredients used were found to have published evidence for improvement in semen parameters and only 17% of ingredients had data published showing a positive effect. Our evidence-based analysis demonstrated an average composite rating of 1.66 (on a scale to 5). Evolution 60 and Conception XR had the highest composite scores with 3.6 and 3.5, respectively. CONCLUSION: Many male fertility supplements claim to improve fertility; however, their products are rarely backed by evidence and their efficacy remains unproven. Few ingredients used in popular fertility supplements have positive evidence in randomized clinical trials and should therefore be used cautiously.

Key Findings

Ninety unique ingredients were identified. The 5 most commonly used ingredients were vitamin E, folic acid, zinc, vitamin C, and selenium whereas the 5 ingredients with most evidence were L-carnitine, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, CoQ10, and Zinc. In all, only 22% of ingredients used were found to have published evidence for improvement in semen parameters and only 17% of ingredients had data published showing a positive effect. Our evidence-based analysis demonstrated an average composite rating of 1.6

Outcomes Measured

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Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Dietary Supplements
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Fertility
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: coq10

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09