Studies on the enzymology of aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 in genetically modified HeLa cells

OBJECTIVE: To determine if low doses of estrogen and testosterone can improve the semen quality in oligospermic men. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized, noncontrolled, clinical study. SETTING: Primary level care in private practice. PATIENT(S): Fourteen physically healthy and androgenized oligospermic men were selected for the study. INTERVENTION(S): Combined low-dose estrogen-testosterone was administered orally for 4 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Semen parameters. RESULT(S): Nine cases (64.2%) showed definite improvement in the semen quality, five cases (35.8%) did not show much improvement. The wives of three patients (21.4%) became pregnant within 6 months of the initiation of therapy. CONCLUSION(S): Low-dose estrogen and testosterone may significantly improve the semen quality in men with oligospermia.