Carnitine supplement: Does it worth trial to improve semen quality among infertile Sudanese men?

Abstract

Carnitine supplement proves to upgrade the quality of semen by increasing sperm count and motility. In this study we have determined the level of L – carnitine in the seminal plasma of men with normal and abnormal seminal analysis. L – carnitine levels among the normal group was significantly higher than the abnormal group. We recommend trials of carnitine supplements to evaluate its usefulness in correcting some infertility cases.Subjects and methods: A total of 52 men, recruited from fertility centers in Khartoum, were included in this study. Colorimetric carnitine determination kits were used for estimation of L – carnitine in seminal plasma.Results: Collectively, men with normal values of semen analysis had significantly higher mean seminal plasma carnitine levels compared to abnormal values (p = 0.028). Oligospermic men had significantly lower levels of carnitine compared to normal (p = 0.046).Conclusion: Seminal plasma carnitine level seems to correlate with seminal quality and its deficiency may be a reason for infertility among some Sudanese men.Key words: seminal plasma, infertility.