Safety and efficacy of clomiphene citrate and L-carnitine in idiopathic male infertility: a comparative study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of L-carnitine with clomiphene citrate in idiopathic infertile men.


METHODS
Fifty-two men with idiopathic infertility were recruited in this randomized controlled trial. They were randomly assigned into 2 treatment groups, group 1 (n = 20) and group 2 (n = 32), who received L-carnitine 25 mg/day and clomiphene citrate 2 gr/day, respectively, for a period of 3 months.


RESULTS
Comparing the effect of L-carnitine and clomiphene on sperm parameters before and after the treatment, both medications had influence on sperm count and motility (P = .01). L-carnitine significantly increased the semen volume (P = .001), while clomiphene citrate was significantly associated with the motility percentage and normal morphology (P = .008).


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that the use of clomiphene citrate and L-carnitine, either individually or in combination, as the first step of idiopathic male infertility treatment is reasonable, safe, and effective.
Moradi
Mahmoudreza
M
Fertility-Infertility Research Center, Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. drmrmoradi@yahoo.com
Moradi
Asaad
A
Alemi
Mohsen
M
Ahmadnia
Hassan
H
Abdi
Hossein
H
Ahmadi
Alireza
A
Bazargan-Hejazi
Shahrzad
S
D000328:Adult; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002996:Clomiphene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D002996:Clomiphene; D002331:Carnitine