EXCRETION OF ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL INTO HUMAN SEMINAL PLASMA AFTER ORAL-ADMINISTRATION

In this open controlled study, we investigated the blood and seminal p lasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in 15 unselected male volunte ers, who received either 600, 800 or 1200 mg d-alpha-tocopherol per da y for 3 weeks. During the intervention, both the blood and seminal pla sma vitamin E concentrations increased significantly, although the inc rease did not correlate with the dose administered. The highest median blood and seminal plasma concentrations were achieved with 800 mg vit amin E per day, but the differences between the group medians were not significant, except in the blood plasma concentration after the first week of treatment between men receiving 600 and 800 mg per day (P < 0 .05). No significant improvement was noted in the movement characteris tics of spermatozoa, hypo-osmolar swelling of spermatozoa, or the velo city of deterioration in the parameters mentioned above. The seminal p lasma vitamin E concentrations achieved during the treatment remained low (< 1 mu mol l(-1)) compared to the concentrations found effective in protecting spermatozoa from peroxidative damage in vitro.