Creatine as a Promising Component of Paternal Preconception Diet

Abstract

Male fertility has been declining globally over the past several decades, advancing from a personal issue to a public health problem. Beyond any doubt, a reduction in fertility (often charac-terized by low sperm count or motility) can severely threaten reproductive health and lifecourse framework in a long-term fashion. Aside from uncovering the currently unknown etiology of mod-ern-day male infertility, the scientific and medical community faces a double burden: finding an efficient biomarker of impaired fertility and exploring any intervention that can act to enhance fer-tility. A plethora of nutritional compounds have been recognized as possible modulators of semen quality, and specific dietary patterns and nutrients appear to be accompanied by a lower risk of male infertility. Creatine, a conditionally essential nutrient, has caught attention as a male fertility-promoting candidate due to its role in sperm energy metabolism. This mini-review describes the creatine-related bioenergetics of spermatozoa, explores a connection between creatine levels and sperm quality in men, and critically examines available evidence for interventional studies with creatine to affect sperm viability.