Effect of acetylcarnitine treatment in oligoasthenospermic patients.

Acetylcarnitine (AC), present in human spermatozoa and seminal fluid, plays an important role in sperm metabolism. To further investigate the effect of AC on sperm quality, AC (4 g/day) was given to 20 patients with idiopathic oliogasthenospermia for 60 days. AC had no effects on sperm density and total motility, but it did significantly increase progressive sperm motility (mean +/- SEM: 21.7 +/- 3.2% vs 38.2 +/- 4.7). The increment in sperm motility was sustained ( > or = 40%) in 12 patients (mean increment 2.7 fold). This parameter returned to basal value 4 months after therapy discontinuation. Five pregnancies occurred during treatment and only 2 during the 4 months follow-up ensuing therapy discontinuation.