title: Coenzyme Q10 treatment in infertile men with idiopathic asthenozoospermia: a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of coenzyme Q(10) treatment in improving semen quality in men with idiopathic infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Andrology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty infertile patients (27-39 years of age) with the following baseline sperm selection criteria: concentration >20 x 10(6)/mL, sperm forward motility <50%, and normal sperm morphology >30%; 55 patients completed the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients underwent double-blind therapy with coenzyme Q(10), 200 mg/day, or placebo; the study design was 1 month of run-in, 6 months of therapy or placebo, and 3 months of follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Variations in semen parameters used for patient selection and variations of coenzyme Q(10) and ubiquinol concentrations in seminal plasma and spermatozoa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coenzyme Q(10) and ubiquinol increased significantly in both seminal plasma and sperm cells after treatment, as well as spermatozoa motility. A weak linear dependence among the relative variations, baseline and after treatment, of seminal plasma or intracellular coenzyme Q(10) and ubiquinol levels and kinetic parameters was found in the treated group. Patients with a lower baseline value of motility and levels of coenzyme Q(10) had a statistically significant higher probability to be responders to the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The exogenous administration of coenzyme Q(10) increases the level of the same and ubiquinol in semen and is effective in improving sperm kinetic features in patients affected by idiopathic asthenozoospermia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Applied Biotechnologies, Andrology Unit, Endocrinology, Umberto I Hospital, School of Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy. g.balercia@ao-umbertoprimo.marche.it
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balercia
authors.forename: Eddi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buldreghini
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vignini
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tiano
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paggi
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amoroso
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ricciardo-Lamonica
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boscaro
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.forename: GianPaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Littarru
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014451:Ubiquinone