Zinc and Metformin: A Fertility Boost for Diabetic Mice

Ever wondered why some diabetic guys might have trouble having kids? It's all about zinc, a mineral that keeps sperm and reproductive organs in tip-top shape. But diabetes messes with zinc levels, causing problems. Scientists decided to test if zinc and a common diabetes drug called metformin could help. They split 50 male mice into groups: some were healthy, others had diabetes. They treated the diabetic mice with zinc, metformin, or both. After checking their testes and sperm, they found that diabetes caused structural issues and increased sperm defects. Zinc levels dropped, while certain zinc transporters increased, affecting testosterone production and related proteins. But here's where it gets interesting: combining zinc and metformin balanced the zinc levels, boosted testosterone production, and improved sperm quality. How? By activating a specific cell pathway called PI3K/AKT/mTOR. So, if you're a diabetic mouse, zinc and metformin might just be your fertility superheroes!