Consumption of high sucrose and/or high salt diet alters sperm function in male Sprague–Dawley rats

Figures & data

Table 1 Food intake in the experimental groups.

	Control	Sucrose	Salt	Sucrose + Salt
Week 1	7.66 ± 1.14	9.93 ± 1.40	11.83 ± 2.06	10.35 ± 1.81
Week 2	14.62 ± 1.56	8.95 ± 1.13^a	13.69 ± 0.95^b	4.90 ± 0.46^a^,^b^,^c
Week 3	17.06 ± 0.34	10.02 ± 0.93^a	13.01 ± 1.32^a	12.99 ± 1.49^a
Week 4	15.5 ± 0.90	8.5 ± 0.42^a	15.06 ± 1.14^b	16.65 ± 2.02^b
Week 5	18.19 ± 0.67	8.05 ± 0.62^a	17.02 ± 1.31^b	12.83 ± 2.54^a^,^b^,^c
Week 6	10.93 ± 3.26	10.41 ± 0.15	18.21 ± 0.46	10.95 ± 1.85

Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 6). Unit in grams/rat/day.

a p < 0.05 was significant when compared with control.

b p < 0.05 was significant when compared with sucrose.

c p < 0.05 was significant when compared with salt.

Fig. 1 Weekly body weight of control, sucrose, salt and sucrose + salt fed rats. Each point represents mean ± SEM (n = 6). ^ap < 0.05 was significant when compared with control. ^bp < 0.05 was significant when compared with sucrose. ^cp < 0.05 was significant when compared with salt.

Table 2 Reproductive organ weight of rats following dietary treatment for six weeks.

	Control	Sucrose	Salt	Sucrose + Salt
Testes	1.15 ± 0.10	1.01 ± 0.12	0.73 ± 0.17	0.48 ± 0.03^a^,^b
Epididymis	0.22 ± 0.02	0.18 ± 0.02	0.12 ± 0.04	0.1 ± 0.01
Seminal vesicle	0.73 ± 0.06	0.34 ± 0.03^a	0.10 ± 0.01^a^,^b	0.14 ± 0.02^a^,^b
Prostate gland	0.14 ± 0.05	0.09 ± 0.02	0.10 ± 0.01	0.09 ± 0.01

Values are expressed as mean ± SEM, n = 6. Unit in grams (g).

a p < 0.05 was significant when compared with control.

b p < 0.05 was significant when compared with sucrose.

Table 3 Fasting blood glucose and serum electrolyte (mmol/l) of rats following dietary treatment for six weeks.

	Control	Sucrose	Salt	Sucrose + Salt
FBG	91.5 ± 3.61	94.3 ± 6.23	92.7 ± 4.10	90.2 ± 3.2
K^+	7.8 ± 0.55	8.0 ± 0.62	8.1 ± 1.4	6.8 ± 0.2
Na^+	145.8 ± 5.82	141.8 ± 3.21	143.2 ± 0.2	148.0 ± 3.00
Cl^-	120.0 ± 4.46	134.5 ± 7.15	158.1 ± 9.21^a	149.8 ± 1.25^a
Ca^2+	1.7 ± 0.32	1.7 ± 0.17	1.66 ± 0.19	1.5 ± 0.05

Units (FBG; mg/dl, K⁺, Na⁺, Cl^-, Ca²⁺; mmol/l), n = 6, result expressed as mean ± SEM.

a p < 0.05 was significant when compared with control.

Table 4 Hormone profile of rats following dietary treatment for six weeks.

	Control	Sucrose	Salt	Sucrose + Salt
Corticosterone (µg/mdl)	1.25 ± 0.14	3.09 ± 0.02^a	2.98 ± 0.38^a	2.92 ± 0.58^a
Testosterone (ng/ml)	31.0 ± 4.04	14.3 ± 3.03^a	17.5 ± 0.86^a	19.0 ± 0.58^a
LH (mIU/ml)	29.7 ± 3.84	56.2 ± 24.52	30.3 ± 5.47	44.3 ± 10.05
FSH (mIU/ml)	9.1 ± 1.58	14.6 ± 3.7	19.6 ± 7.15	10.5 ± 0.96

Values are expressed as mean ± SEM, n = 6.

a p < 0.05 was significant when compared with control.

Table 5 Sperm indices of rats following dietary treatment for six weeks.

	Control	Sucrose	Salt	Sucrose + Salt
Motility (%)	66.7 ± 7.27	18.8 ± 3.75^a	31.3 ± 14.2^a	10.5 ± 0.50^a
Concentration (10^6/ml)	44.3 ± 4.27	24.8 ± 4.17^a	5.0 ± 0.71^a^,^b	5.0 ± 0.71^a^,^b
Viability (%)	66.3 ± 7.42	10.0 ± 0.82^a	14.0 ± 4.71^a	5.5 ± 0.29^a
Abnormal morphology (%)	30.5 ± 6.70	53.0 ± 4.12^a	66.0 ± 5.77^a	60.0 ± 2.89^a

Values are expressed as mean ± SEM, n = 6.

a p < 0.05 was significant when compared with control.

b p < 0.05 was significant when compared with sucrose.

Table 6 MDA level and antioxidant enzymes activity in rats following dietary treatment for six weeks.

	Control	Sucrose	Salt	Sucrose + Salt
MDA (µmol/ml)	0.34 ± 0.20	1.21 ± 0.50	5.76 ± 1.57^a^,^b	2.50 ± 0.16^a^,^b
GSH (mmol/ml)	2.20 ± 0.41	2.77 ± 0.72	2.36 ± 0.23	3.47 ± 0.64
CAT(mmol/ml)	25.64 ± 1.71	28.48 ± 9.18	16.90 ± 4.82	22.36 ± 3.28
SOD (mmol/ml)	3.08 ± 0.86	8.12 ± 0.71^a	6.87 ± 1.78^a	8.36 ± 2.33^a

Values are expressed as mean ± SEM, n = 6.

a p < 0.05 was significant when compared with control.

b p < 0.05 was significant when compared with sucrose.