Carnitine for the treatment of idiopathic asthenospermia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of oral carnitine supplementation on the semen parameters of men with idiopathic asthenospermia.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study.


METHODS
Academic tertiary referral centers.


METHODS
Male patients presenting with infertility and with sperm motility of 10%-50% were selected.


METHODS
Patients were randomized to 24-week treatment arms of oral carnitine (2,000 mg L-carnitine and 1,000 mg L-acetyl-carnitine per day) or placebo.


METHODS
Sperm motility and total motile sperm counts at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Seminal plasma and sperm free, acetyl, and total L-carnitine levels at baseline and at week 24.


RESULTS
Twenty-one patients entered the study, with 12 patients in the carnitine arm and 9 in the placebo arm. There were no significant differences in baseline semen parameters between the carnitine and placebo arms. There was no statistically significant or clinically significant increase in motility or total motile sperm counts between baseline, 12 week, or 24 weeks in the carnitine or placebo arms.


CONCLUSIONS
Carnitine supplementation demonstrated no clinically or statistically significant effect on sperm motility or total motile sperm counts in men with idiopathic asthenospermia.
Sigman
Mark
M
Division of Urology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. mark_sigman@brown.edu
Glass
Stacy
S
Campagnone
Janice
J
Pryor
Jon L
JL
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015990:Placebo Effect; D015995:Prevalence; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage
D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D002331:Carnitine