title: The effects of L-carnitine on sperm parameters in smoker and non-smoker patients with idiopathic sperm abnormalities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of L: -carnitine on sperm parameters in patients with idiopathic sperm abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an academic reproductive care center, 170 patients including 48 smokers and 122 non-smokers participated in a before-after study. Men were given 1 g of L: -carnitine orally 3 x daily for 3 months. Sperm assessment was done before and after the treatment. Main outcome measures were sperm concentration, motility, and morphology before and after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  L-Carnitine was effective in improvement of percentile of motile sperms, grade A sperms, and normal-shaped sperms. L-Carnitine significantly improved percentile of motile and grade A sperms in non-smokers. Only the change in the median percentile of normal forms was within the significant range in smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate that smoker patients should not be excluded from the treatment with L-carnitine based on smoking alone.
authors.affiliation: Vali-e-Asr Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. afkhademi@sina.tums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khademi
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alleyassin
authors.forename: Leili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Safdarian
authors.forename: Ehsan Akbari
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hamed
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rabiee
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haghaninezhad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D002331:Carnitine