With the continuous improvement of material living standards, the incidence of diabetes is also increasing year by year, which not only causes a serious burden on the kidneys, but also has an impact on the reproductive system. Epidemiological studies have shown that about 50% of diabetic patients suffer from reproductive diseases of varying severity, including decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and sperm abnormalities1. In 2022, researchers at the University of South China found that supplementing male diabetic mice with NMN could improve the quantity and quality of sperm and restore their reproductive function. The study was published in Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica in April of the same year.
In the experiment, the researchers first injected mice with an antibiotic called streptozotocin (STZ), which targeted the pancreatic B cells after entering the mice, causing the mice to develop diabetes because they could not secrete enough insulin. The researchers then gave the mice an oral supplement of 500 mg kg per day (which translates to about 23g) of NMN for 8 weeks.
Figure 1 Experimental grouping
Eight weeks later, the researchers extracted the mice** and tested the number and morphology of sperm in them. In the results are displayed,The sperm count of diabetic mice (DM) decreased significantly, and the proportion of abnormal sperm increased significantly. Taking NMN reversed this phenomenon
Figure 2 Diabetic mice (DM) supplemented with NMN had a significant increase in sperm count and a significant decrease in the proportion of abnormal sperm
Like humans, sperm in mice are generated from seminiferous tubules in **. So the researchers dissected the ** of the mice and observed the morphology of the seminiferous tubules in them with a microscope.
Figure 3 Spermatozoa form from the seminiferous tubules in **.
The results showedNMN supplementation significantly increased the area and diameter of seminiferous tubules in diabetic mice, which may be one of the reasons why the sperm count of the mice is restored.
Figure 4 The surface area and diameter of the seminiferous tubules in diabetic mice were restored after NMN supplementation.
After further experiments, the researchers found that NMN supplementation also regulated the glycolysis process of Sertoli cells in mice**, allowing them to better support the growth of spermatogonia, thereby restoring the reproductive ability of male diabetes.
In summary, this study found that NMN supplementation in male diabetic mice can significantly improve the quantity and quality of sperm, thereby reversing the reproductive damage caused by diabetes. At a time when the incidence of diabetes is increasing, NMN may play a role in enhancing the fertility of male patients and helping to improve the quality of fertility.
References. 1. ma, d., hu, l., wang, j., luo, m., liang, a., lei, x., liao, b., li, m., xie, m., li, h., gong, y., zi, d., li, x., chen, x., liao, x. (2022). nicotinamide mononucleotide improves spermatogenic function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice via modulating the glycolysis pathway. acta biochimica et biophysica sinica, 54(9), 1314–1324.