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.
Matalliotakis
I
I
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Koumantaki
Y
Y
Evageliou
A
A
Matalliotakis
G
G
Goumenou
A
A
Koumantakis
E
E
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