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Coenzyme Q10 improves seminal oxidative defense but does not affect on semen parameters in idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia: a randomized double-blind, placebo controlled trial

A Nadjarzadeh, M R Sadeghi, N Amirjannati, M R Vafa, S A Motevalian, M R Gohari, M A Akhondi, P Yavari, F Shidfar
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation 2011 34(8):e224-e228

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 21399391
DOI
10.3275/7572
Funding
A specific funding statement was not identified in the accessible publication record checked during this audit.
Competing interests
A specific conflict-of-interest statement was not identified in the accessible publication record checked during this audit.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
ModelRandomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT).
Sample47 infertile men randomized to CoQ10 or placebo.
InterventionCoQ10 200 mg/day versus placebo for 12 weeks.
Duration12 weeks.
EndpointsSperm concentration; Motility; Morphology; Seminal plasma total antioxidant capacity; Malondialdehyde/thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances; Serum oxidative-stress markers

What the study showed, in plain terms

This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial enrolled 47 men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and tested CoQ10 200 mg/day for 12 weeks.

The main biological signal was improved oxidative defense: seminal-plasma total antioxidant capacity increased and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances/malondialdehyde-related oxidative-stress measures decreased. However, conventional semen parameters did not improve significantly.

This makes the study useful negative/neutral evidence for fertility claims: CoQ10 changed redox biomarkers without demonstrating a clear improvement in sperm count, motility or morphology during the 12-week intervention.

Key findings

Semen parameters: no statistically significant improvement in sperm concentration, motility or morphology with CoQ10.

Seminal oxidative defense: total antioxidant capacity increased significantly with CoQ10 (p<0.05).

Oxidative stress: thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances/malondialdehyde-related measures were significantly reduced in treated participants compared with control (p<0.05 in the published report).

Dose/duration: 200 mg/day for 12 weeks in 47 randomized men with idiopathic OAT.

Clinical interpretation: redox biomarker improvement did not translate into a significant change in basic semen quality during this study.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Small sample of 47 men and relatively short 12-week treatment period.

The study focused on basic semen and oxidative biomarkers and did not measure pregnancy, live birth or time-to-pregnancy.

The accessible abstract does not provide complete numerical effect estimates, confidence intervals, attrition or adverse-event details for every endpoint; these values are not inferred.

The discrepancy between improved oxidative biomarkers and unchanged semen parameters underscores that mechanistic biomarker changes should not be equated with fertility benefit.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology