Serum magnesium is linked with sperm concentration, motile sperm count and serum anti-Müllerian hormone in infertile men.

Abstract

RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the relationship between serum magnesium, semen quality and reproductive hormones in infertile men? DESIGN: This study was a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial involving 330 infertile men treated with cholecalciferol + calcium or placebo for 150 days. Each participant underwent a physical examination and had blood and semen parameters assessed. Thirty-one men were excluded due to missing serum magnesium, leaving 299 men stratified by serum magnesium tertile. RESULTS: Sperm concentration and total sperm count were higher in men in the highest serum magnesium tertile compared with men in the lowest serum magnesium tertile (20.9 million/ml versus 8.6 million/ml, P = 0.007; 72 million versus 37 million, P = 0.009, respectively). Total numbers of motile and progressively motile spermatozoa were also higher in men in the highest serum magnesium tertile (34 million versus 23 million, P = 0.023; 23 million versus 11 million, P = 0.033, respectively). Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) was higher in the highest serum magnesium tertile compared with the lowest serum magnesium tertile (40 pmol/l versus 28 pmol/l, P = 0.002), while FSH, LH and inhibin B showed no difference between serum magnesium tertiles. Vitamin D supplementation did not influence serum magnesium. CONCLUSIONS: Serum magnesium is positively associated with serum AMH, and total numbers of motile and progressively motile spermatozoa. This study suggests that magnesium, along with other minerals, may influence male fertility. More evidence is needed for full validation of these findings.