Evaluation of the Effects of Fasting On Fertility in Adult Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

The study was aimed at investigating the effect of different models of fasting on fertility of adult male wistar rats. 15 adult male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. The rats in group 1(control) were fed ad libitum while rats in groups 2 and 3 were fasted 12hours and 24hours respectfully and fed within1 hour for 65 days. Fasting caused alteration in body and organ weights, food consumption, sperm motility, viability, volume and count, and reproductive hormones, LH, FSH and T. In the fasted rats, body weight increased progressively during the period of experiment by increased food consumption but the testes weight decreased significantly. Fasting blood sugar increased progressively as compared with the control group but within normal ranges for rats. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in the mean value of sperm volume of rats in the control and fasted groups. The degree of sperm motility was lowered but not significant (p>0.05).Sperm count was significantly (p<0.05) lowered in the fasted animals compared to animals in control group indicating a drop in cellular turnover as a result of inhibition of spermatogenesis or cellular regression after fasting. Serum LH and FSH were reduced significantly (p<0.05). T concentration was also reduced but not significantly (p>0.05). The significant reduction in LH and FSH might have accounted for the observed reduction in sperm counts in the fasted animals used for this study.