title: Oral carnitine supplementation increases sperm motility in asthenozoospermic men with normal sperm phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the role of carnitine supplementation in idiopathic asthenozoospermia and to look for a rationale for its use in asthenozoospermic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blind clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty asthenozoospermic patients divided in two groups according to phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placebo for 3 months, then oral L-carnitine (2 g/day) for 3 months; semen samples were collected at baseline, after placebo, after carnitine administration, and again after 3 months with no drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of seminal parameters and determination of seminal PHGPx levels, measured as rescued activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When asthenozoospermic subjects were divided in two groups on the basis of PHGPx levels, we observed an improvement of mean sperm motility only in the group of patients with normal PHGPx levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase has an important role in male infertility, and carnitine treatment might improve sperm motility in the presence of normal mitochondrial function.
authors.affiliation: Histology, Microbiology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garolla
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maiorino
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roverato
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roveri
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ursini
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foresta
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D000080662:Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D000080662:Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D002331:Carnitine