Ketogenic Diet Improves Semen Quality and Restores Gonadal Hormonal Balance Following Monosodium Glutamate-Induced Testicular Dysfunction in Rats

Abstract This study aims to investigate the effects of semen quality and gonadal hormonal balance in monosodium glutamate-induced testicular dysfunction in rats. Two groups of twenty-three animals each were treated (control and monosodium glutamate (MSG) group) orally for 28 days to establish testicular dysfunction. After testicular dysfunction was successfully confirmed, the animals from the two treatment groups were further subdivided (post-treatment) into six groups and treated for 42 days as follows; Control (Untreated); Ketogenic diet; Curcumin; MSG group only; MSG + Ketogenic diet; MSG + Curcumin. In MSG treatment, the administration of MSG significantly (P <0.05) decreased the level of serum testosterone in the rats. The treatment with MSG significantly (P <0.05) reduced the sperm count, sperm motility, sperm viability, and sperm morphology compared to the control rats. In the post-MSG treatment, ketogenic diet treatment significantly (P <0.05) increased the levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone, while curcumin treatment increased only luteinizing hormone. The group fed with curcumin showed a significant increase in sperm morphology and sperm count compared to the control. This study revealed that MSG administration might have led to a disruption of the gonadal hormonal balance and sperm quality. Keywords: Ketogenic diet, Medicinal biochemistry, Monosodium glutamate, Sperm, Reproductive function, Testosterone