Improvement of sperm quality after micronutrient supplementation

Background & aims: Nearly 50% of male infertility is idiopathic and to date there still is no proven therapy. We evaluated the effect of a non prescription nutraceutical containing eight micronutrients on sperm quality in males with idiopathic sub-fertility. Methods: This open comparative pilot study was carried out at the Fertility Center IMI, Vienna, Austria. A total of 132 sub-fertile males (active treatment group) were invited to participate and take two daily capsules of the active compound for a three month period between the first and the follow-up semen analysis. Each capsule contained L-carnitine, L-arginine, zinc, vitamin E, glutathione, selenium, coenzyme Q10 and folic acid. Sub-fertile men receiving no active treatment served as controls (. n = 73). Main outcome measure was the standardized semen analysis. Results: All parameters evaluated by semen analysis significantly increased after 3 months of treatment with the active compound. Median ejaculatory volume, sperm cell density, sperm motility (progressive and total) and normal morphology rate increased by 33.3%, 215.5%, 83.1%, 36.4% and 23.0%, respectively. These increments were significantly higher than those observed among controls. In the active treatment group no side effects were encountered and a total of 34 pregnancies were reported after 6 months follow-up whereas 11 were reported in the control group. Conclusion: Semen analysis significantly improved in sub-fertile men after treatment with an active micronutrient compound, leading to pregnancies without any adverse effects.