The Effect of Antioxidants on Sperm Quality Parameters and Pregnancy Rates for Idiopathic Male Infertility: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#antioxidants #carnitine #coenzymes #fatty-acids-omega-3 #female

The Effect of Antioxidants on Sperm Quality Parameters and Pregnancy Rates for Idiopathic Male Infertility: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Li et al., 2022 | Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) | Systematic Review

Citation

Li Kun-Peng, Yang Xue-Song, Wu Tao. The Effect of Antioxidants on Sperm Quality Parameters and Pregnancy Rates for Idiopathic Male Infertility: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:810242. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.810242

Abstract

PURPOSE: Male infertility is a global public health issue recognized by the WHO. Recently, antioxidants are increasingly used to treat idiopathic male infertility. However, the lack of available evidence has led to the inability to rank the effects of antioxidants on the sperm quality parameters and pregnancy rate of infertile men. This network meta-analysis studied the effects of different antioxidants on the sperm quality and pregnancy rate of idiopathic male infertility. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The weighted mean difference (WMD) and odds ratio (OR) were applied for the comparison of continuous and dichotomous variables, respectively, with 95% CIs. The outcomes were sperm motility, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, and pregnancy rate. RESULTS: A total of 23 RCTs with 1,917 patients and 10 kids of antioxidants were included. l-Carnitine, l-carnitine+l-acetylcarnitine, coenzyme-Q10, ω-3 fatty acid, and selenium were more efficacious than placebo in sperm quality parameters. l-Carnitine was ranked first in sperm motility and sperm morphology (WMD 6.52% [95% CI: 2.55% to 10.05%], WMD 4.96% [0.20% to 9.73%]). ω-3 fatty acid was ranked first in sperm concentration (WMD 9.89 × 106/ml, [95% CI: 7.01 to 12.77 × 106/ml]). In terms of pregnancy rate, there was no significant effect as compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: l-Carnitine was ranked first in sperm motility and sperm morphology. ω-3 fatty acid was ranked first in sperm concentration. Coenzyme-Q10 had better effective treatment on sperm motility and concentration. Furthermore, high-quality RCTs with adequate sample sizes should be conducted to compare the outcomes of different antioxidants.

Key Findings

A total of 23 RCTs with 1,917 patients and 10 kids of antioxidants were included. l-Carnitine, l-carnitine+l-acetylcarnitine, coenzyme-Q10, ω-3 fatty acid, and selenium were more efficacious than placebo in sperm quality parameters. l-Carnitine was ranked first in sperm motility and sperm morphology (WMD 6.52% [95% CI: 2.55% to 10.05%], WMD 4.96% [0.20% to 9.73%]). ω-3 fatty acid was ranked first in sperm concentration (WMD 9.89 × 106/ml, [95% CI: 7.01 to 12.77 × 106/ml]). In terms of pregnancy

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 1917
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Antioxidants
  • Carnitine
  • Coenzymes
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Male
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Rate
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Spermatozoa

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Systematic Review, Journal Article, Network Meta-Analysis
  • Vertical: coq10

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09