Trial reportReproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E2016
Comparison of the effect of a combination of eight micronutrients versus a standard mono preparation on sperm parameters.
Trial report in Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed.
- Effect of the oral intake of astaxanthin on semen parameters in patients with oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.Radiology and oncology · 2020Trial
- Diosgenin-mediated NF-κB and MAPK pathway modulation for osteoarthritis treatment: molecular mechanisms, bioavailability enhancement, and therapeutic applications.Inflammopharmacology · 2026Review
- Bioactive Peptide C248 of PRDX4 Ameliorates the Function of Testicular Leydig Cells via Mitochondrial Protection.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- A comprehensive review on potential role of selenium, selenoproteins and selenium nanoparticles in male fertility.Heliyon · 2024Review
- Safety of Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) as additive to healthy human sperm samples: a pilot study.JBRA assisted reproduction · 2024Article
- The lack of evidence behind over-the-counter antioxidant supplements for male fertility patients: a scoping review.Human reproduction open · 2023Article
- Coenzyme Q10 improves sperm motility and antioxidant status in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia.Clinical and experimental reproductive medicine · 2022Article
- Coenzyme Q10 and Melatonin for the Treatment of Male Infertility: A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2022Review
- Oxidative Stress Markers and Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Men Recovered from COVID-19.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Effect ofFrontiers in veterinary science · 2022Article
- Coenzyme Q10 and Male Infertility: A Systematic Review.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
- Antioxidant-Based Therapies in Male Infertility: Do We Have Sufficient Evidence Supporting Their Effectiveness?Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
- Effectiveness of Pharmacological Intervention Among Men with Infertility: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2021Article
- The Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Vitamin E, Selenium, Zinc, Folic Acid, and N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Sperm Motility and Membrane Properties in Dogs.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere are reports showing that l-carnitine alone or in combination with other micronutrients improve sperm parameters. However, comparative studies are still lacking. This study was carried out to compare the short term effects of a combination of eight micronutrients including l-carnitine vs. a mono-substance (l-carnitine alone) on sperm parameters.
methodsThis was a prospective, open-labelled, nonrandomized study that included male subjects (20 to 60 years) with at least 1 year of subfertility and at least one pathological semen analysis who received 3 months treatment with a mono-substance (500 mg l-carnitine/twice a day, n = 156) or a combined compound (440 mg l-carnitine + 250 mg l-arginine + 40 mg zinc + 120 mg vitamin E + 80 mg glutathione + 60 μg selenium + 15 mg coenzyme Q10 + 800 μg folic acid/once a day, n = 143) for the same time period. Sperm parameters were analyzed before and after treatment and groups comparisons performed.
resultsBaseline characteristics were similar among studied groups (age and body mass indices). Semen parameters (volume, density, overall progressive motility [including slow and fast motility]) and percentage of sperm with normal morphology improved after 3 months in both groups as compared to baseline. However, relative change (expressed as % increase of absolute values) for sperm density and overall progressive motility (including fast motility) was found to be higher for the combined micronutrient treatment group as compared to the mono-treatment using l-carnitine alone.
conclusionBoth analyzed groups displayed a positive short term effect on all sperm parameters; however effect on density and motility was significantly better for the combined formulation. There is need for more research in this matter that includes long term outcome data.
trial registrationRetrospectively registered at ISRCTN (7th October 2016). Study ID: ISRCTN48594239.
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