Micronutrient supplementation increases sperm quality in the sub-fertile male

Background and Aims: Nearly 50 % of male infertility is idiopathic and to date there is still 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 Centre 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, co-enzyme Q10 and folic acid. Sub-fertile men receiving no active treatment served as controls (n=73). The main outcome measure was the standardised semen analysis. Results: All parameters evaluated by semen analysis significantly increased after three 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 six months' follow-up, whereas 11 were reported in the control group. Conclusion: Semen analysis results significantly improved in sub-fertile men after treatment with an active micronutrient compound, leading to pregnancies without any adverse effects.