Abstract
Objective To determine the efficacy of combined l-carnitine and l-acetyl-carnitine therapy in infertile males with oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia.
Design Placebo-controlled double-blind randomized trial.
Setting University tertiary referral center.
PATIENT(S): Sixty infertile patients (aged 20-40 years) with the following baseline sperm
Selection Criteria concentration, 10 to 40 x 10(6)/mL; forward motility, <15%; total motility, 10% to 40%; and atypical forms, <80%. Fifty-six patients completed the study.
INTERVENTION(S): Patients were submitted to a combined treatment of l-carnitine (2 g/d) and l-acetyl-carnitine (1 g/d) or of placebo; the study design was 2 months' wash-out, 6 months of therapy or of placebo, and 2 months' follow-up.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Variation in the semen parameters that were used for patient selection.
RESULT(S): Even though increases were seen in all sperm parameters after combined carnitine treatment, the most significant improvement in sperm motility (both forward and total) was present in patients who had lower initial absolute values of motile sperm (<4 x 10(6) forward or <5 x 10(6) total motile spermatozoa per ejaculate).
CONCLUSION(S): Combined treatment with l-carnitine and l-acetyl-carnitine in a controlled study of efficacy was effective in increasing sperm motility, especially in groups with lower baseline levels.
L-carnitine L-acetyl-carnitine male infertility sperm motility, asthenozoospermia carnitine treatment randomized controlled trial, combined carnitine therapy oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, Lenzi carnitine sperm motility placebo controlled trial, antioxidant supplementation male infertility sperm parameters, carnitine therapy low motile sperm count treatment, nutraceutical treatment asthenozoospermia double blind trial, sperm motility improvement carnitine supplementation infertile men, Agarwal male factor infertility oxidative stress treatment, oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia medical treatment semen parameters
PMID 15193480 15193480 DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2003.10.034 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2003.10.034
Keywords
Acetylcarnitine/therapeutic Use, Adult, Carnitine/therapeutic Use, Double-Blind Method, Drug Therapy, Combination, Humans, Male, Oligospermia/drug Therapy/pathology/physiopathology, Placebos, Sperm Motility/drug Effects, Spermatozoa/pathology, Treatment Outcome, Placebos, Acetylcarnitine, Carnitine