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Vitamin B12 and potential fertility in male lactovegetarians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Rashmi Hirwe ,
V. S Jathar ,
Shantha Desai  and
R. S Satoskar
Rashmi Hirwe
Affiliation:
Biochemistry Research Laboratory, University of Bombay, Kalina, Santacruz (East), Bombay
V. S Jathar
Affiliation:
Biochemistry Research Laboratory, University of Bombay, Kalina, Santacruz (East), Bombay
Shantha Desai
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology, TN Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital, Byculla, Bombay, India
R. S Satoskar
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology, TN Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital, Byculla, Bombay, India
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Extract

Semen and serum vitamin B12 levels in Indian lactovegetarian and non-vegetarian subjects were estimated along with routine semen examination. Lactovegetarians had distinctly lower serum and semen vitamin B12 levels than the non-vegetarians. However, in normal and oligospermic subjects the ratio of semen vitamin B12 to serum vitamin B12 in the various diet groups was not significantly different and was always greater than one. In azoospermic subjects the serum vitamin B12 levels were always higher than the corresponding semen vitamin B12 values. Although semen vitamin B12 content was related to serum vitamin B12 level and sperm concentration in the normal and oligospermic groups. Further, in healthy lactovegetarians with low serum and semen vitamin B12 content and oligospermia, treatment with hydroxocobalamin produced no significant improvement in semen quality.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , July 1976 , pp. 221 - 227
Copyright
Copyright © 1976, Cambridge University Press

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