New research using fish models has suggested vitamin C may counter fertility damage caused by harmful environmental contaminants like perchlorate, a chemical widely used in explosives and fireworks.
The research team, led by Ramji Bhandari, examined how potassium perchlorate affects sperm development using Japanese rice fish, known as medaka. These small fish are frequently used in reproductive biology because their genetic and reproductive processes closely resemble those of humans.
According to Bhandari, “Exposure to chemicals in the environment can have a big impact on reproductive health, but our discovery with a fish model offers hope that vitamin C may play a powerful role as an antioxidant in protecting sperm health against the harmful effects of potassium perchlorate.”
In the experiment, male fish exposed only to potassium perchlorate experienced a dramatic drop in fertility and clear damage to their testes. However, when vitamin C was introduced alongside the chemical, fertility rates improved, and physical damage to reproductive organs was significantly reduced.
The findings, published in Environmental Science & Technology, pointed to potassium perchlorate as an emerging environmental reproductive risk, highlighting vitamin C’s potential as a protective measure.
Although the results are promising, researchers caution that further studies are required to determine whether similar benefits would apply to humans, particularly those working in military or industrial environments.
Bhandari’s interest in potassium perchlorate dates back a decade, following discussions at a toxicology conference highlighting elevated infertility rates among military personnel.
Subsequent evidence revealed that some service members had increased levels of the chemical in their blood, likely due to repeated exposure to explosives.
He added, “I became curious about what impact that exposure may have on reproductive health. In our recent study, we discovered that potassium perchlorate exposure causes oxidative stress, which interferes with genes and pathways involved in the sperm production process.
“The good news is we know vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, and we just discovered it can successfully protect the sperm production process against that oxidative stress by restoring molecular pathways involved in male fertility.”
The findings could be especially relevant for people in military, industrial or environmental settings, although more research is needed to better understand how preventative treatments could benefit humans.
Although the results are promising, researchers argued that further studies are required to determine whether similar benefits would apply to humans, particularly those working in military or industrial environments.
