Influence of Increasing Consuming of Whey Protein Supplement on Reproductive system in Rats

The current study was conducted to evaluate the harmful effects of increasing consuming of nutritional supplement (whey protein) on reproductive system of laboratory rats. Thirty two of rats were randomly divided into two main groups. The first group control group was not treated with whey protein, the second group was divided into three subgroups which administrated the whey protein 300 mg/kg body weight for (one, two and three month) respectively. Reproductive performance was measured by determination of count sperm, malformations, motility, dead sperm, weights of (testes, epididymis, prostate glands and seminal vesicles) and testicular structure was studied.

The results referred to receiving of whey protein for long periods led to significant decreasing (P≤0.05) in total count of sperm, motility and significant decreasing (P≤0.05) in weights of all studied organs included (testes, epididymis, prostate glands and seminal vesical) while significant increasing (P≤0.05) was observed in sperm abnormalities and dead sperm. Also, the results showed that the nutritional supplement caused many abnormalities of sperm included lacking, quirky, starched and hooked tail while the malformations of head encompassed lacking, elliptical and global head. The histological changes in testicular structure manifested by destroyed and increasing thickness of interstitial tissue, congestion of blood vessels, necrosis and reduction numbers of spermatocytes in all supplemented groups.