Male infertility: Female hormone to rescue?

Bengaluru: Estrogen or the female sex hormone is considered harmful for male reproduction and is used widely in male contraceptives. But not many are aware of the positive role that estrogen plays in male reproduction, with many fertility experts relying on this hormone to treat men battling infertility.

‘Estradiol’ is necessary for sperm maturity in people with sperm maturity defects and with low sperm motility. By using estradiol supplements, these marginal defects can be overcome, with a therapeutic trial given for about three to four weeks. It is a good strategy and can be used in people with morphology abnormalities of sperm  and low estradiol. There is a rationale in using a low dose of estradiol supplementation in men with such sperm abnormalities,” explained  Dr S.S. Vasan, Medical Director and CEO, Manipal Ankur Andrology, Bangalore.

Also, a recent article published in the official journal of Hellenic journal of Andrology (ANIR), clearly cites the work of Dr Purushottam Sah, an andrologist who reaches out to patients with such issues in metros, including Bengaluru, through an online consultation platform called iCliniq. It says that Sah treated 14 men, aged 23 to 31 years, with oligozoospermia of unknown etiology with one tablet, containing 0.0044 mg of ‘ethinyl estradiol’ and 3.6 mg of ‘methyl testosterone’ daily.

After four months of the treatment, in 9 men (64 %) he observed a definite improvement in the ‘semen index’ (i.e summarizing the number, the percentage of motile spermatozoa and their normal morphology). The wives of three patients (21 %) became pregnant within six months of the initiation of the therapy.

“While high levels of estrogen disturb the male functions, low levels also do the same. Research publications support this whereas in some men, estrogen supplements can improve their reproductive and sexual functions, though estrogen is considered harmful for male reproduction and is used extensively in male contraceptives,” explains Dr.Sah. The doctor also informs us that he has subsequently published a case report, where the same treatment resulted in a spectacular increase in sperm numbers. “Estradiol’ plays a major role in the final maturity of sperm which has some 18 to 19 stages. The shape gets finally crystallized, with movement happening in the last two stages and it is in these stages that ‘estradiol’ plays a major role," said Dr Vasan who adds that they use estradiol in men with motility problems.

"We believe that ‘estradiol’ will increase the population of sperm-producing areas inside the testes and make them more visible in men with a zero sperm count," he concluded.