Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30087533›Full record

ArticleLaser therapy2018

Sperm motility is enhanced by Low Level Laser and Light Emitting Diode photobiomodulation with a dose-dependent response and differential effects in fresh and frozen samples.

C Philip Gabel, James Carroll, Keith Harrison

Open access · diamondAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Laser therapy, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. [Low-level laser therapy for the treatment of male infertility and erectile dysfunction].Beijing da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Peking University. Health sciences · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Examining the combined benefits of photobiomodulation and apigenin for the treatment of asthenozoospermia: An innovative therapeutic strategy.Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology · 2024
    Article
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Improving human sperm motility via red and near-infrared laser irradiation: in-vitro study.Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology · 2024
    Article
  10. Review
  11. Applications of laser technology in the manipulation of human spermatozoa.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2023
    Review
  12. Review
  13. Sperm kinetics of Egyptian buffalo bulls (Journal of advanced veterinary and animal research · 2022
    Article
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Photobiomodulation therapy for male infertility.Lasers in medical science · 2020
    Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

C Philip GabelCoolum Physiotherapy, Brisbane, Australia.
James CarrollQueensland Fertility Group, Brisbane, Australia.
Keith HarrisonTHOR Photomedicine Ltd, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe effects of Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) on cellular function arise predominantly from stimulation of ATP production and reduction of oxidative stress. These effects are dose dependent and a function of beam irradiance and irradiation time. Human sperm motility has been shown to increase with LLLT irradiation. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of laser and Light Emitting Diode (LED) LLLT photobiomodulation on human spermatozoa motility and DNA integrity.

methodsAn in-vitro controlled trial was performed within an IVF clinic laboratory using three human semen specimens, one fresh and two frozen. Sperm were exposed to light from a GaAlAs single laser (810 nm 200 mW) and an LED cluster (660 nm and 850 nm total power 2 W) for various irradiation times. Sperm motility for the test and control aliquots was assessed using a SQA-IIB analyser, but fertilizing ability was not. Sperm chromatin integrity was tested using the Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay.

resultsThe Sperm Motility Index and Total Functional Sperm Count increased up to four fold compared to controls with inhibitory effects observed at higher doses (longer irradiation times). The maximum effect varied with irradiance and irradiation time and whether the sample was fresh or frozen. DISCUSSION: Human sperm motility is modified by exposure to LLLT and this motility modification is dependent upon beam irradiance and irradiation time as well as the condition of the sample. A higher stimulatory dose provides a rapid increase in motility that is short in duration, while a lower stimulatory dose provides a slower increase in motility. An inhibitory does causes reduced motility. Future research could consider animal models, such as the mouse, to test fertilization capacity and the safety of resulting fetuses.

Indexed as

Effect of Lasers in TissueExperimental ResearchLaser PhotobiomodulationLight Emitting Diode (LED)Low-Level Laser Therapy

Identifiers

PMID30087533
PMCPMC6062680
OpenAlexW2810824007

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.