Trial reportFertility and sterility2022
The impact of zinc and folic acid supplementation on sperm DNA methylation: results from the folic acid and zinc supplementation randomized clinical trial (FAZST).
Trial report in Fertility and sterility, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01857310 (Folic Acid and Zinc Supplementation Trial), which is not on this map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Folic Acid and Zinc Supplementation Trial: A Multi-center, Double-blind, Block-randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial
Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Global research trends on the impact of obesity on male infertility: a bibliometric analysis.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Heat exposure during susceptible windows of spermatogenesis and sperm epigenetic age.Human reproduction (Oxford, England) · 2026Trial
- Longitudinal semen parameter assessments and live birth: variability and implications for treatment strategies.Fertility and sterility · 2022Trial
- The critical role of oxidative stress in male infertility: causes, diagnostic biomarkers, and the efficacy of antioxidant therapy.Molecular biology reports · 2026Review
- Evaluating the Impact of Folate on Male Infertility Using Mendelian Randomization: A Comprehensive Analysis.The world journal of men's health · 2026Article
- Silicon-Based Agent Attenuates Age-Related Spermatogenesis Disorder.International journal of urology : official journal of the Japanese Urological Association · 2025Article
- Ambient air pollution during developmental windows of spermatogenesis and semen quality among an infertility treatment seeking population.Ecotoxicology and environmental safety · 2025Article
- The Role of Antioxidants in Male Fertility: A Comprehensive Review of Mechanisms and Clinical Applications.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- First-generation versus next-generation epigenetic aging clocks: Differences in performance and utility.Biogerontology · 2025Review
- Biological, dietetic and pharmacological properties of vitamin BNPJ science of food · 2025Review
- The correlation between sperm DNA methylation and DNA damage: a comparison of comet and TUNEL.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2025Article
- Folic acid and sperm quality improvement: insights from snRNA sequencing and RNA splicing mechanisms.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Review
- Exploring the Epigenetic Landscape of Spermatozoa: Impact of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Supplementation on DNA Methylation and Hydroxymethylation.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Development of an epigenetic clock resistant to changes in immune cell composition.Communications biology · 2024Article
- Micronutrient Antioxidants for Men (MenevitAntioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Leukocytospermia and/or Bacteriospermia: Impact on Male Infertility.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
- The Role of One-Carbon Metabolism and Methyl Donors in Medically Assisted Reproduction: A Narrative Review of the Literature.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Sperm DNA methylation defects in a new mouse model of the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677C>T variant and correction with moderate dose folic acid supplementation.Molecular human reproduction · 2024Article
- Examining nutrition strategies to influence DNA methylation and epigenetic clocks: a systematic review of clinical trials.Frontiers in aging · 2024Review
- Epigenetic determinants of reproductive potential augment the predictive ability of the semen analysis.F&S science · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
17 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo determine if 6-month folic acid (5 mg) and zinc (30 mg) supplementation impacts sperm DNA methylation patterns.
designA multicenter, double-blind, block randomized, placebo-controlled trial titled "The Folic Acid and Zinc Supplementation Trial (FAZST)."
settingInfertility care centers. PATIENT(S): Male partners (18 years and older) from heterosexual couples (female partners aged 18-45 years) seeking fertility treatment were recruited. INTERVENTION(S): Men were randomized 1:1 to receive folic acid (5 mg) and elemental zinc (30 mg) (n = 713) or a matching placebo (n = 757) daily for 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sperm DNA methylation was analyzed using the EPIC methylation array (Illumina) at 6 months. Differential sperm DNA methylation was assessed at multiple levels (regional, single cytosine phosphate guanine, etc.). We additionally assessed the impact of supplementation on epigenetic age. RESULT(S): No significant differences were identified between the treatment and placebo groups although some trends appeared to be present. To determine if these trends were noteworthy, we implemented various permutations and found that the patterns we identified were no more than would be expected by random chance. CONCLUSION(S): The data presented here strongly suggest that this supplementation regimen is not effective at altering sperm DNA methylation. These data comport well with previous findings from the FAZST study that found no impact of supplementation on basic semen analysis parameters or live birth. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01857310.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.