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ABSTRACT
Starvation describes the most severe form of malnutrition, in which there occurs a severe deficiency in energy intake resulting in a metabolic response focused on the sustenance of the vital organs to enable the survival of the affected individual. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually death. Starvation may be caused either by an imbalance between inadequate caloric in-take due to poverty, draughts, famines or medical which include diseases such as anorexia nervosa, celiac disease, coma, diabetes mellitus, digestive disease or constant vomiting. The ketogenic diet is a dietary pattern incorporating high fat, low carbohydrate and adequate protein. The ketogenic diet has been demonstrated to have significant effects in terms of weight loss. Nutritional deficiency is associated with metabolic changes that may be reflected in the circulating concentrations of hormones such as testosterone and gonadotrophins which regulate spermatogenesis and testicular maturation. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of starvation and ketogenic diet on the sperm cell count and sperm motility of male wistar rats. Fifteen (15) adult male wistar rats, weighing about 120-200g were bought from the animal holdings of the Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical sciences, University of Benin. The animals were randomly assigned into three (3) groups with five animals in group A (control), five (5) animals in group B and five (5) animals in group C. Animals in group A served as control and were fed with water and ketogenic diet with formula; fats-55%, protein-25%, carbohydrate-14% and mineral and salts-6%. They were subjected to no starvation at any point in the study. Group B were fed with water and the same formula of ketogenic diet for 6 hours and were subjected to 18 hours of starvation daily. Group C were fed with water and the same formula of ketogenic diet for 15 hours and were subjected to 9 hours of starvation daily. The study was conducted over a period of six (6) weeks after which the rats were sacrificed under chloroform anesthesia. Pelvic and scrotal incisions were made to excise the epididymis and testes. Epididymides were minced for sperm collection and analysis. The data obtained were presented as mean ± SEM and analyzed for statistical significance by one way ANOVA using Graph Pad Prism Statistical Software, version 8.1. From the results obtained it was observed that there was no statistically significant changes in sperm cell count, progressive motility of sperm cells and non-motile sperm cells of the test groups B and C when compared to the control group A. There was a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in the non-progressive motility of those starved for 9 hours compared with control and 18 hours starvation respectively, however, there was no significant changes in 18 hours starvation compared with control. The results obtained from this study has shown that short term starvation and re-feeding with ketogenic diet has no significant effects on sperm cell count and sperm cell motility of male wistar rats.
