Determining the Effect of Ashwagandha Plant Powder on Men with Semen Disorders

Abstract

Introduction: Infertility, which is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of intercourse without the use of contraceptive methods, affects 15% of couples. 30-40% of the causes of male infertility are related to sperm disorders. The most common cause of infertility in men is their inability to produce enough healthy, active and active sperm, so the aim of this study was to determine the effect of ashwagandha powder on men with semen disorders. Materials and Methods: This study is a double-blind, clinical, randomized trial. Subjects were entered the study after obtaining informed consent and having inclusion and exclusion criteria. All subjects were clinically examined by a urologist. Blood and urine tests were also performed to ensure the health status of the individuals. Subjects did not take any PDE-V inhibitors or glucocorticoids, chemical, herbal and hormonal drugs for infertility treatment in the 4 weeks before the start of the study and until the end of the study. Finally, demographic information was obtained from all individuals and statistical calculations were performed using the statistical software SPSS. Results: In general, our results showed that the consumption of ashwagandha powder in the first experimental group was 41.3 ± 16.66% in the pre-test stage, 46.53±13.42% in the post-test stage and 45.5%±11.99% in the follow-up stage. These values were 41.23 ±19.85% in the placebo group of the pre-test stage, 41.0%±19.15 in the post-test stage and  40.37±19.41 % in the follow-up stage. This indicates that ashwagandha increased semen performance scores and sperm motility in different stages of the test compared to the second experimental group. Conclusion: The use of medicinal plants with male fertility enhancement properties can be used as a substitute or supplement for chemical drugs that affect male fertility. On the other hand, it is recommended that chemical drugs with fertility-reducing properties be less used or not used in men with infertility disorders.