Journal of Molecular Pathophysiology

www.scopemed.org
DOI: 10.5455/jmp.20150915011928
Original Research
Effects of Prolonged Fasting on Sperm
Count
Seriki A Samuel 1, Adebayo O Francis 1, Atsukwei Denen 1, Odetola O Anthony 2

ABSTRACT
Background and Aim: In Nigeria, like in many other parts of the Africa and the world, people embark on fasting for various
reasons; medical, spiritual, experimental, etc. Some even engage in prolonged fasting for a period of 30 days, 40 days,
50 days, or even longer. Prolonged fasting, as it were, has been observed to have various effects on some physiological
1
Department of Physiology, Bingham parameters of the body. The current study reports on the effects such prolonged fasting has on semen profiling in mice,
University, Karu, Nigeria with particular emphasis on sperm count, and how it consequently affects fertility in the male. Method: Twenty (20) male
2
Department of Physiology Nnamdi mice used for the research were grouped into two. While mice in Group 1 were fasted for 12 hours per day for 30 days
Azikwe University, Awka, Nigeria during which they were denied access to feeds and water, mice in Group 2 (control) were allowed free access to feeds
and water throughout the period of the 30 days. At the end of the period, the semen from both groups were separately
Address for correspondence: collected and analyzed, with emphasis on the sperm count. Results: The results showed that sperm count in the fasted
Seriki A Samuel, Department of group significantly (p<0.05) dropped compared to the fed group. There was also a significant (p<0.05) weight lost in the
Physiology, Bingham University, Karu, fasted group due caloric restriction. Morphology and motility of the sperm cell were also affected. Conclusion: Results
Nigeria. suggest that the 30 days fasting adversely affected the sperm cells. Some of the sperm cells may have died due to lack
[email protected] of nutrients to sustain it during the period of the fasting. The normal process of spermatogenesis may also have been
distorted by the fasting resulting in the drop in the sperm count.
Received: July 01, 2015
Accepted: August 25, 2015
Published: September 20, 2015 KEY WORDS: Fasting, sperm count, spermatogenesis, sertoli cell, caloric restriction

INTRODUCTION Generally, food has been considered to be one of the most

important environmental variables controlling reproduction
Fasting is a deliberate abstinence from normal meal(s) ie
in animals. It has long been known that starvation adversely
food and drinks, or failure to eat/drink for an unusual length
affect reproductive functions [5] [6]. This is evident in
of time. It is a common practice in Nigeria and other parts of
countries where famine had prevailed where some links
the world by various groups and for various reasons ranging
have been seen between prenatal famine and birth weight,
from spiritual, health, to experimental purposes.
reproductive performance, and age of menopause of the
Fasting could take different forms and length. For instance, conceived child [7].
it could be total; where the subject abstains from all kinds of
Earlier researches have determined that individuals with
foods/drinks, it may also be partial, where the subject may
insufficient nutrition during development often experience
only abstain from some kind of foods/drinks. On the length,
poorer later-life health and evolutionary fitness. The
fasting may take 12hrs, 24hrs, and as long as 72hrs. In human,
Predictive Adaptive Response (PAR) hypothesis proposed
when fasting lasts longer than 72hrs the individual becomes
that poor early-life nutrition induces physiological
hypoglycaemic and could collapse as nearly all the glucose
changes that maximize fitness in similar environments
in his body may have been used up, causing the kidney and
in adulthood, and that metabolic diseases result when
the liver to, by the process of gluconeogenesis, convert the
individuals experiencing poor nutrition during development
non-carbohydrate food substances in the body, like fat and
subsequently encounter good nutrition in adulthood [8].
protein, to glucose to sustain the body.
Although earlier studies have shown that famine exposure
Fasting has various physiological effects on the body
during developmental ages reduces health in favourable
and as such has been used to determine some important
later-life conditions, no study on humans has demonstrated
parameters like, lung mechanics, shivering activity during
the predicted fitness benefit under low later-life nutrition,
progressive hypothermia, neuroendocrine function and
leaving the evolutionary origins of such plasticity unexplored,
follicle development in lean women [1] [2].
[8]. But it is established that famine exposure and childhood
Fasting may also have some effects on the gonadotropic caloric restriction may lead to permanent changes in the
hormone level [3] and the testosterone level in fertile hypothalamo–pituitary–gonadal axis, which could lead to
males, either via the hypothalamus pituitary-testicular axis impaired female reproductive ability [7].
or by direct effect on the testis, and could therefore affect
But in Africa, and indeed some other parts of the world,
spermatogenesis. The quality of spermatozoa is a significant
many persons, and indeed male folks, faced with problems
determinant of male fertility. It is therefore important to
of infertility embark on prolonged fasting to seek spiritual
determine what effect fasting has on the general quality of
solutions to their problems. The current study seeks to get
the semen [4].

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Seriki, et al.: Effects of Prolonged Fasting on Sperm Count

clearer understanding of what specific effect this prolonged semen suspension is applied to the edge of the cover-slip to
fasting has on the sperm count of the male. be sucked into the void by capillary action which completely
fills the chamber with the sample. The number of cells in
MATERIAL the chamber can be determined by direct counting using
the light microscope, and visually distinguishable cells can
Domestic Mice (Mus domesticus), cages, Neubauer
be differentially counted. The number of cells in a chamber
haemocytometer, microscope, sample bottles, cover slip,
is used to calculate the concentration or density of the cells
Normal saline, 5ml volumetric pipette, warm and cold waters,
in the mixture the sample was drawn from. It is the number
water bath, pestle & mortar, counter, beakers, dissecting
of cells in the chamber divided by the chamber’s volume,
kit, dropping pipette, measuring cylinder, electric weighing
which must have been taken at the commencement of the
scale, and thermometer.
experiment, taking into account of any dilution and counting
shortcuts [11].
METHOD
Twenty mice were grouped into two of 10 each, and kept in
separate labelled cages. The mice were weighed before and An nigrosin-eosin stain was used because it is effective,
after the 30 days fasting, using electronic weighing balance, simple and, in addition to allowing sperm to be readily
and they had an average weight of 19g. visualized under the light microscope, it is a so-called ‘live-
dead’ stain, allowing one to assess membrane integrity at the
Group 1 was fasted for 12hrs daily for 30 days, while Group
same time as morphology.
2 was well fed with mice feeds and also given unhindered
access to water for 24 hours and through the period of
30days. The two groups were kept under standard laboratory
environment.
At the end of the fasting period, mice from both groups were
sacrificed using chloroform, and the caudal portion of their
left epididymis removed, crushed and prepared for sperm
count. The semen is diluted with normal saline solution and
observed at 40x, 100x and 400x using a light microscope. The
caudal portion of the epididymis was preferred because it has
a higher concentration of sperm cells than other parts [9].
The approval of ethical committee on experimental animals
was of Bingham University was got before the experiment
was carried out.
A 30-day duration was chosen for the fasting because the
Fig 2. The nigrosin-stain produces a dark background on which the
entire process of spermatogenesis takes about 35 days in sperm stands out as lightly coloured objects. Normal live sperm exclude
the mouse, with mitotic, meiotic, and post-meiotic phases the eosin stain and appear white in colour, whereas ‘dead’ sperm (i.e.
lasting 11, 10 and 14 days, respectively [10]. those with loss of membrane integrity) take up eosin and appear pinkish
in colour, as shown above. (courtesy of J. K. Graham).

Using Haemocytometer

RESULTS
Table 1. Shows significant average body weight loss

Total
Group No Means(g) Variance Std Dev. Std Error
wt(g)
Fig 1. Haemocytometer
Fasted 10 172 17.2 0.23 0.48 0.15
Procedure for the Sperm Count
Fed 10 211 21.1 0,26 0.51 0.16
A special cover-slip provided with the counting chamber of
the haemocytometer was properly positioned on the surface P< 0.05 (significant)
of the chamber. Usually, when the two glass surfaces are in
proper contact, Newton’s rings can be observed. Then the

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 Seriki, et al.: Effects of Prolonged Fasting on Sperm Count

Table 2. Shows significant drop in the sperm count of the mice in the Sertoli cell is a highly specialized cell found in the
fasted group
testes. It plays an important role in the development and
Group No Total Mean Variance Std Dev maturation of sperm cells, or spermatozoa, within the testes
(spermatogenesis). Because a Sertoli cell functions largely to
Fasted 10 26,988,056 2.69 x 106 7.65 x 1011 8.7 x 105
assist the developing sperm cells through their maturation
Fed 10 50,333,333 5.03 x 106 4.08 x 1012 2.0 x 106 process, it is sometimes referred to as a nurse cell. In addition
to secreting numerous important hormones and other
P< 0.05 (significant) substances to trigger proper development, a Sertoli cell also
consumes excess material left behind after the sperm cells
have completed development [15]
Motility & Morphology of the sperm cells Another function of a Sertoli cell is to control the movement
of hormones, nutrients and chemicals into the seminiferous
Though these were not the main focus, it was however
tubules. During the course of the development of the
observed that about 40% of the sperm cells of the fasted
spermatozoa, the Sertoli cell also triggers several phases
group were deformed (while some were decapitated, others
of growth by excreting certain substances. For instance,
had their flagella coiled around their heads). This is against
spermatogenesis begins when Sertoli cells secrete a protein to
the 5% of deformation noticed in the fed group, showing that
increase the concentration of testosterone in the somniferous
the prolonged fasting may have affected the morphology of
tubules, [16]. Compromise of the sertoli may have left such
the sperm cells. The motility of the sperm cells from the mice
grave consequence on spermatogenesis.
in the fasted group was also affected as the cells were either
dull/slow, stagnant, or even showing reverse motility (this will
CONCLUSION
however require further and specific study for confirmation).
Prolonged fasting generally reduces sperm count, impact
DISCUSSION negatively on sperm cells viability in males owing to poor
nourishment of mature sperm cell, and also by interfering
Results show that there was a significant weight loss in the
with the process of spermatogenesis. Prolonged fasting
fasted group possibly resulting from hypoglycaemia [12]
also causes deformation on the sperm cells and impair
[13]. The average weight of the mice before the fast for
the motility of sperm cells. All these would affect fertility.
both groups was 19g. But after the 30days of fasting, average
Therefore males facing fertility problems are advised to
weight for the fasted group dropped significantly to 17.2g,
abstain from prolonged fasting; they are advised to eat
while for the fed group, the average weight rose by 2g from
balanced diet regularly, especially during the period of the
19g to 21g.
fertility problems. If they must embark on fasting at all, it
There was also a significant drop in the value of sperm should not be a prolonged one.
count in the fasted mice, showing that the process of
spermatogenesis, which normally lasts through about 35 days ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
in mice, may have been affected by the 30-day fasting [14].
Postgraduate Institute for Medical Research and Training
Results show also that even though moderate calorie (PIMRAT), College of Medicine, University of Ibadan,
restriction (CR) with a short period has minimal impact Nigeria, for providing some of the facilities used for the work.
on testicular gene expression with no significant negative
Dr Ephraim Oluwanuga (National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria)
impact on semen quality or plasma testosterone levels, a
for providing useful advice and guide during the work.
prolonged/severe caloric restriction (fasting) in male adults
may have impacted circulating testosterone levels, testicular Dr Ike, Dept of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan,
gene expression, and testicular morphology. Nigeria cogent imputs
The prolonged fasting may also have caused negative effects
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