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L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine benefit on sperm quality?

Views: 0     Author: Site Editor     Publish Time: 2022-08-24      Origin: Site

In male infertility patients, the most common presentation is asthenozoospermia. Various factors such as varicocele, reproductive system infection, poor lifestyle, congenital reproductive system dysplasia, heavy metal pollution and many other factors have an impact on the total motility and survival rate of sperm, resulting in the occurrence of asthenozoospermia. Seminal plasma plays a very important role in sperm capacitation, motility and energy metabolism. The complex carnitine L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine in the epididymis are indispensable for sperm motility and maturation, and affect the sperm vitality and quality of male friends.

What is complex carnitine ?

Compound carnitine is composed of L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine. It is a natural substance in the human body. They have two main physiological functions: first, it is an important factor in the process of mitochondrial β-oxidation of fatty acids, and participates in energy metabolism; second The second is to increase the stability of cells by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the human body and inhibiting apoptosis. 

In the male reproductive tract, L-carnitine is mainly concentrated in the epididymis, seminal plasma and sperm, and plays an important role in sperm metabolism and maturation. Sperm acquires motility and fertilization ability in the epididymis. The acquisition of sperm motility and fertilization ability is not only dependent on androgens, but also related to carnitine, glycerophosphocholine (GPC), sialic acid (SA) secreted by epididymis epithelium. Among them, the role of carnitine is crucial, especially the biologically active L-carnitine in the body has a direct impact on the maturation and motility of sperm. In addition, carnitine can increase the concentration of prostaglandin E2 and increase sperm count, so it is used to treat male infertility.

Complex carnitine effects on sperm

Studies have shown that the content and concentration of carnitine in seminal plasma of male infertility patients are lower than those of normal reproductive population. Motility, sperm nuclear DNA integrity and sperm penetration into cervical mucus were significantly positively correlated. At the same time, like serum and other tissues in the body, L-carnitine in the male epididymis is in the form of free L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine. The content of carnitine in epididymal fluid gradually increases from the head to the tail of the epididymis, and through the joint action of various substances secreted by the epididymis, it promotes the gradual maturation of sperm and makes it have the function of fertilization. L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine also have the effect of reducing sperm apoptosis and promoting sperm maturation.carnitine function -NhSquirrel

Complex carnitine antioxidant effects

In addition, some scholars have confirmed that carnitine is an important antioxidant, which can significantly reduce the oxidative damage of sperm DNA as an antioxidant. More and more studies have shown that when the production and scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are out of dynamic balance and in a state of oxidative stress, excessive ROS will damage the integrity of sperm nuclear DNA, affect the normal energy transport of mitochondria, and accelerate sperm. Apoptosis of cells leads to the damage of sperm membrane structure, which reduces or loses the motility and vitality of sperm. Carnitine can rebalance the oxidative and antioxidant status of the epididymis by improving the microcirculation of the epididymis, avoiding oxidative damage to the sperm in the epididymis and ejaculated semen, thereby significantly improving the forward motility and survival rate of sperm. , the production of sperm oxygen free radicals is reduced.

Compound carnitine application in varicocele

At the same time, compound carnitine drug therapy is also widely used in the treatment of male varicocele, and experiments have shown that compound carnitine has a certain curative effect in the treatment of various types of varicocele infertility patients other than grade V, especially Both asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients. Therefore, to a certain extent, most of the various surgical treatments that need to be taken for varicocele infertility are eliminated, and the traumatic treatment is greatly reduced.

In conclusion, L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine can effectively remove excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, protect sperm membrane function, improve sperm motility and quality, and play an important role in the energy metabolism in sperm mitochondria. Exogenous supplementation of L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine in patients with oligoasthenospermia can increase the total number of forward motile sperm and the total number of motile sperm, and improve the sperm-egg binding rate. And domestic and foreign clinical experimental studies have shown that the combined application of L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine in the treatment of male infertility is a new breakthrough in the field of male infertility drug treatment in recent years.