The effect of coenzyme Q₁₀ supplementation on partner pregnancy rate in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia: an open-label prospective study

Int Urol Nephrol. 2012 Jun;44(3):689-700. doi: 10.1007/s11255-011-0081-0. Epub 2011 Nov 13.

Abstract

Objective: It has been shown that coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) supplementation in men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) results in improved semen parameters. In present study, we evaluated the effects of coenzyme CoQ(10) supplementation on semen parameters and pregnancy rates in infertile men with idiopathic OAT.

Patients and methods: Two hundred and eighty-seven infertile men with idiopathic OAT were recruited in this study. These patients were treated with CoQ(10) 300 mg orally twice daily for 12 months. Two semen analyses and determination of resting levels of sex hormones were done in all participants. Patients were followed up for another 12 months after CoQ(10) discontinuation.

Results: Mean sperm concentration, sperm progressive motility, and sperm with normal morphology improved significantly after 12-month CoQ(10) therapy by 113.7, 104.8, and 78.9%, respectively (all Ps < 0.05). The overall pregnancy rate was 34.1% within a mean of 8.4 ± 4.7 months.

Conclusions: CoQ(10) supplementation improves semen quality with beneficial effect on pregnancy rate.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Catalase / metabolism
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Female
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone / blood
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Male / drug therapy*
  • Inhibins / blood
  • Inhibins / drug effects
  • Luteinizing Hormone / blood
  • Luteinizing Hormone / drug effects
  • Male
  • Oligospermia / drug therapy*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Rate*
  • Prolactin / blood
  • Prolactin / drug effects
  • Semen / metabolism
  • Sperm Count
  • Sperm Motility / drug effects
  • Spermatozoa / cytology
  • Spermatozoa / drug effects*
  • Spermatozoa / physiology
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Testosterone / blood
  • Thyrotropin / blood
  • Thyrotropin / drug effects
  • Ubiquinone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ubiquinone / blood
  • Ubiquinone / pharmacology
  • Ubiquinone / therapeutic use
  • Vitamins / blood
  • Vitamins / pharmacology
  • Vitamins / therapeutic use*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Vitamins
  • inhibin B
  • Ubiquinone
  • Testosterone
  • Inhibins
  • Prolactin
  • Luteinizing Hormone
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone
  • Thyrotropin
  • Catalase
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • coenzyme Q10