L- carnitine in idiopathic asthenozoospermia: a multicenter study

Abstract

Summary. The aim of the study described here was to evaluate any possible effect of L‐carnitine on spermatozoal motility in a group of patients with unexplained asthenozoospermia in four different infertility centres. One hundred patients received 3 g d⁻¹ of oral L‐carnitine for 4 months. Sperm parameters were studied before, during and after this treatment. Motility was also studied by means of a computer‐assisted sperm analysis. The results of the study indicate that L‐carnitine is able to increase spermatozoal motility, both in a quantitative and in a qualitative manner (per cent motile spermatozoa increased from 26.9±1.1% to 37.7 ± 1.1% [P < 0.001]; per cent spermatozoa with rapid linear progression increased from 10.8 ± 0.6% to 18.0 ± 0.9% [P < 0.001]; mean velocity increased from 28.4 ± 0.6 μm s⁻¹ to 32.5 ± 0.8 μm s⁻¹ [P < 0.001]; linearity index increased from 3.7 ± 0.1 to 4.1±0.1 [P < 0.001], especially in the subgroup of patients with poor rapid linear progression of spermatozoa (per cent of motile spermatozoa increased from 19.3± 1.9% to 40.9± 1.4% [P < 0.001], and per cent of spermatozoa with rapid linear progression increased from 3.1±0.4% to 20.3±1.6% [P < 0.001]) An increase in spermatozoal output was also observed (total number of ejaculated spermatozoa increased from 142.4 ± 10.3 10⁶ to 163.3 ± 11.0 × 10⁶ [P < 0.001]). The authors conclude that oral administration of L‐carnitine may improve sperm quality at least in patients with idiopathic asthenozoospermia.