SMOKING AND LOW ANTIOXIDANT LEVELS INCREASE OXIDATIVE DAMAGE TO SPERMDNA

Our previous studies have shown that men with low ascorbate intake hav e markedly increased oxo(8)dG in the DNA of their sperm. Because cigar ette smoke is high in oxidants and depletes plasma and tissue antioxid ants, oxidative DNA damage in sperm and tocopherol and ascorbate level s in seminal plasma were determined in smokers and non-smokers. The le vel in sperm DNA of oxo(8)dG, an oxidative lesion of guanine, was 50% higher in smokers compared to non-smokers (p = 0.005). The concentrati on of cr-tocopherol in seminal plasma was decreased in smokers by 32% (p = 0.03). Smoking and low antioxidant levels increase oxidative dama ge to sperm DNA. We discuss the possibility that paternal smoking caus es mutations in sperm that lead to cancer, birth defects, and genetic diseases in offspring.