The Sources of Carnitine in Human Semen

Abstract

A study was initiated to determine the sources of carnitine in the male reproductive system. Free and total carnitine was measured in a group of healthy men before and after vasectomy. Each individual served as his own control. The results show that postvasectomy semen contains about 52% as much total carnitine and 40% as much free carnitine as prevasectomy samples. The data indicate that, in addition to the epididymis, the seminal vesicles and/or vas deferens are major contributors of carnitine in human semen.

Carnitine and short‐chain acylcarnitines in the lumen of the human male reproductive tract

“…Free carnitine was present to a greater extent in the earlier part of human split ejaculate samples, and its concentration was decreased in semen after vasectomy, results consistent with an epididymal origin for most of the seminal carnitine. Several groups have suggested using human semen carnitine measurements for evaluating epididymal function, but it has been noted that a significant portion of seminal carnitine derives from non-epididymal sources (Frenkel et al 1974;Lewin et al 1976;Fahimi et al 1981).…”