Blood Serum and Seminal Plasma Selenium, Total Antioxidant Capacity and Coenzyme Q10 Levels in Relation to Semen Parameters in Men with Idiopathic Infertility Mustafa Eroglu & Sadik Sahin & Birol Durukan & Ozlem Bingol Ozakpinar & Nese Erdinc & Lale Turkgeldi & Kenan Sofuoglu & Ates Karateke Received: 11 February 2014 /Accepted: 10 April 2014 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014 Abstract In this case–control study, we aimed to evaluate the serum and seminal plasma levels of Selenium (Se), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10) and determine their relationship with sperm concentration, motility, and morphology in men with idiopathic infertility. A total of 59 subjects were enrolled in the study. Forty four patients were diagnosed with idiopathic male infertility and had abnormal sperm parameters, and 15 subjects had normal sperm parameters with proven fertility. Serum Se, semen Se, and semen TAC levels were significantly different in the fertile and infertile groups (p <0.01, p <0.001, and p <0.001, respectively). However, serum TAC, serum, and seminal plas- ma CoQ-10 levels did not differ between fertile and infertile groups. When the levels of the measured parameters were compared in serum and seminal plasma, serum levels of Se were found to be correlated positively with the semen levels in all subjects included into the study (N =59) (r =0.46, p <0.01). A relationship was found between neither serum and semen levels of TAC nor between serum and semen levels of CoQ- 10. Correlations among measured serum and semen parame- ters with sperm parameters demonstrated that both the serum and semen levels of Se were correlated positively with sper- matozoa concentration, motility, and morphology. Addition- ally, seminal plasma levels of TAC correlated positively with all these sperm parameters. On the other hand, seminal plasma levels of CoQ-10 correlated only with sperm morphology but not with concentration or motil- ity. No relationship was observed between serum levels of TAC or serum levels of CoQ-10 and sperm parame- ters. In conclusion, serum and seminal plasma Se defi- ciency may be a prominent determinant of abnormal sperm parameters and idiopathic male infertility. Mea- surement of serum Se levels may help determine nutri- tional status and antioxidant capacity in infertile pa- tients, which may help distinguish those patients who will benefit from supplementation therapy. Keywords Selenium . Total antioxidant capacity . Coenzyme Q10 . Male infertility . Spermatozoa . Serum and seminal plasma Introduction Male factors contribute to infertility in about 30–50 % of couples [1]. A growing body of evidence has revealed that oxidative stress (OS) has deleterious effects on spermatozoa. The susceptibility of human spermatozoa to OS seems to be related to high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and low concentrations of scavenging enzymes in the sperm plasma membrane [2]. Excess oxidative activity exerts cytotoxic ef- fects on spermatozoa either via membrane peroxidation or DNA damage [3]. Seminal plasma harbors an effective antiox- idant system protecting the spermatozoa against OS, and the M. Eroglu : B. Durukan : L. Turkgeldi : A. Karateke Deparment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children’ s Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey S. Sahin (*) : K. Sofuoglu IVF Unit, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children’ s Hospital, Op.Dr. Burhanettin Ustunel Caddesi, No:10, 34668, Uskudar, 34722 Istanbul, Turkey e-mail: drsadiksahin@gmail.com O. B. Ozakpinar Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey N. Erdinc Department of Analytical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey Biol Trace Elem Res DOI 10.1007/s12011-014-9978-7