[L-carnitine: safe and effective for asthenozoospermia].
OBJECTIVE
One of the important reasons for male infertility is asthenozoospermia, for which there is no specific cure for the time being. The authors explored the clinical effect of L-carnitine for infertile males with asthenozoospermia.


METHODS
A total of 135 patients with asthenozoospermia were randomly divided into Groups A (n = 68) and B (n = 67), the former treated with L-carnitine (2 g/d) and vitamin E, while the latter with vitamin E only, both for 3 months. All the patients received semen analyses before and after the treatment, and were observed for adverse effects. The pregnancy rates of their wives were recorded.


RESULTS
Group A showed a significantly increased percentage of forward motile sperm after the treatment (45.4% +/- 11.1%) as compared with pretreatment (28.6% +/- 9.2%) (P < 0.01), but no statistically significant differences were found in sperm density and the percentage of the sperm of normal morphology (P > 0.05). The rate of pregnancy was significantly higher in Group A (31.1%) than in B (3.8%) after the treatment (P < 0.01). No adverse events were found during the treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
L-carnitine, capable of significantly improving sperm motility and raising the rate of pregnancy, is a safe and effective therapeutic option for asthenozoospermia.
Wang
Ya-xuan
YX
Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China. wangyaxuan2003@yahoo.com.cn
Yang
Shu-wen
SW
Qu
Chang-bao
CB
Huo
Hong-xu
HX
Li
Wei
W
Li
Jing-dong
JD
Chang
Xue-liang
XL
Cai
Guang-zeng
GZ
D000328:Adult; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D014810:Vitamin E; D002331:Carnitine