title: [L-carnitine: safe and effective for asthenozoospermia].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China. wangyaxuan2003@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Ya-xuan
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu-wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chang-bao
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Hong-xu
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing-dong
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xue-liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Guang-zeng
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D002331:Carnitine