subject withdrew from the study mid

subject withdrew from the study midwaythrough the supplementation period and so was excludedfrom the ®nal analysis, three subjects did not attendfor the ®nal post-supplementation assessment.Semen analysisAll semen samples were analysed in the same laboratoryaccording to the protocol of the World Health Organisation[17a,17b] and, before entry to the study,subjects had produced at least two semen sampleswithin the normal reference range de®ned for our population(ejaculate volume "1 ml, sperm concentration"20¬10'}ml and overall motility "40%). Sampleswere collected by masturbation into sterile plasticcontainers and the time from ejaculation to analysis wasrecorded and used as a co-variate in the statistical analysis.Subjects were instructed to abstain from ejaculation for2 or 3 days before producing the sample.Semen samples were allowed to liquefy at 37 °C for30 min before analysis, which was always within 90 minof ejaculation. The volume was measured by weight,assuming 1 ml to weigh 1 g. An aliquot of semen wasdiluted 1:20 with sperm-diluting ¯uid (50 g Na#HCO$in 10 ml of 35% formaldehyde}litre of water). Thenumber of spermatozoa was counted using a NeubauerImproved haemocytometer at ¬400 magni®cation(Ortholux; Leitz, Wetzlar, Germany). Motility wasexamined at ¬400 magni®cation under phase-contrastillumination. At least 100 sperm were examined andmotility was expressed as the proportion of spermshowing evidence of movement [WHO grades: a (rapidprogressive motility), b (slow or sluggish progressivemotility), and c (non-progressive motility)]. Morphologywas examined at ¬400 magni®cation, on a wet preparation,using phase-contrast optics and was expressed asa percentage of morphologically normal sperm. Inaddition, attributes of sperm movement were determinedusing a commercially available computer-assisted imageanalysissystem. (HTM-IVOS Software version 10.8;Hamilton-Thorn, 181 Elliott Street, Suite 505, Beverly,MA 01915, U.S.A.).

subject withdrew from the study midway
through the supplementation period and so was excluded
from the ®nal analysis, three subjects did not attend
for the ®nal post-supplementation assessment.
Semen analysis
All semen samples were analysed in the same laboratory
according to the protocol of the World Health Organisation
[17a,17b] and, before entry to the study,
subjects had produced at least two semen samples
within the normal reference range de®ned for our population
(ejaculate volume "1 ml, sperm concentration
"20¬10'}ml and overall motility "40%). Samples
were collected by masturbation into sterile plastic
containers and the time from ejaculation to analysis was
recorded and used as a co-variate in the statistical analysis.
Subjects were instructed to abstain from ejaculation for
2 or 3 days before producing the sample.
Semen samples were allowed to liquefy at 37 °C for
30 min before analysis, which was always within 90 min
of ejaculation. The volume was measured by weight,
assuming 1 ml to weigh 1 g. An aliquot of semen was
diluted 1:20 with sperm-diluting ¯uid (50 g Na#HCO$
in 10 ml of 35% formaldehyde}litre of water). The
number of spermatozoa was counted using a Neubauer
Improved haemocytometer at ¬400 magni®cation
(Ortholux; Leitz, Wetzlar, Germany). Motility was
examined at ¬400 magni®cation under phase-contrast
illumination. At least 100 sperm were examined and
motility was expressed as the proportion of sperm
showing evidence of movement [WHO grades: a (rapid
progressive motility), b (slow or sluggish progressive
motility), and c (non-progressive motility)]. Morphology
was examined at ¬400 magni®cation, on a wet preparation,
using phase-contrast optics and was expressed as
a percentage of morphologically normal sperm. In
addition, attributes of sperm movement were determined
using a commercially available computer-assisted imageanalysis
system. (HTM-IVOS Software version 10.8;
Hamilton-Thorn, 181 Elliott Street, Suite 505, Beverly,
MA 01915, U.S.A.).

subject withdrew from the study midway
through the supplementation period and so was excluded
from the ®nal analysis, three subjects did not attend
for the ®nal post-supplementation assessment.
Semen analysis
All semen samples were analysed in the same laboratory
according to the protocol of the World Health Organisation
[17a,17b] and, before entry to the study,
subjects had produced at least two semen samples
within the normal reference range de®ned for our population
(ejaculate volume "1 ml, sperm concentration
"20¬10'}ml and overall motility "40%). Samples
were collected by masturbation into sterile plastic
containers and the time from ejaculation to analysis was
recorded and used as a co-variate in the statistical analysis.
Subjects were instructed to abstain from ejaculation for
2 or 3 days before producing the sample.
Semen samples were allowed to liquefy at 37 °C for
30 min before analysis, which was always within 90 min
of ejaculation. The volume was measured by weight,
assuming 1 ml to weigh 1 g. An aliquot of semen was
diluted 1:20 with sperm-diluting ¯uid (50 g Na#HCO$
in 10 ml of 35% formaldehyde}litre of water). The
number of spermatozoa was counted using a Neubauer
Improved haemocytometer at ¬400 magni®cation
(Ortholux; Leitz, Wetzlar, Germany). Motility was
examined at ¬400 magni®cation under phase-contrast
illumination. At least 100 sperm were examined and
motility was expressed as the proportion of sperm
showing evidence of movement [WHO grades: a (rapid
progressive motility), b (slow or sluggish progressive
motility), and c (non-progressive motility)]. Morphology
was examined at ¬400 magni®cation, on a wet preparation,
using phase-contrast optics and was expressed as
a percentage of morphologically normal sperm. In
addition, attributes of sperm movement were determined
using a commercially available computer-assisted imageanalysis
system. (HTM-IVOS Software version 10.8;
Hamilton-Thorn, 181 Elliott Street, Suite 505, Beverly,
MA 01915, U.S.A.).