L-carnitine levels in the seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men: correlation with sperm quality.
OBJECTIVE
To confirm the presence of L-carnitine in human seminal plasma, to show differences between L-carnitine concentrations in fertile and infertile subjects, and to show potential relationships between L-carnitine and semen quality.


METHODS
Seminal plasma from 101 men obtained by masturbation was examined for the presence of L-carnitine. Semen samples were divided as follows: (a) in eight groups according to the etiology of fertility, (b) in two groups on the basis of normal or abnormal spermiogram, (c) correlation of the amount of L-carnitine in seminal plasma with values of the spermiogram.


RESULTS
We found the following: (1) L-carnitine levels differ significantly between controls and the patient groups (P < .0001) (2) The group with normal spermiogram has a mean value for L-carnitine of 478.4 while the abnormal one comes to 100.58. This difference is statistically significant (P < .0001). (3) There is a statistically significant, positive correlation between L-carnitine and the number of spermatozoa, the percentage of motile spermatozoa, and the percentage of normal forms (P < .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that determination of seminal carnitine values might provide the physician with an additional means of evaluating the infertile male.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
I
I
Matalliotakis
Y
Y
Koumantaki
A
A
Evageliou
G
G
Matalliotakis
A
A
Goumenou
E
E
Koumantakis
D000328:Adult; D002331:Carnitine / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
D002331:Carnitine