NCT02122211

Choline Dehydrogenase and Sperm Function: Effects of Betaine

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 6 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The ability of sperm to swim is important for normal fertility. Men with a genetic variation in the gene coding for Choline Dehydrogenase (CHDH) have decreased energy production by sperm, and their sperm do not swim normally. The metabolic product of this gene is a nutrient called betaine (found normally in the diet as a part of many foods such as spinach, beets and grain products). This study tests whether treatment with betaine is safe and whether it can normalize energy production in sperm of these men and restore normal swimming ability.

Detailed description

Unidentified genetic aberrations such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be the underlying cause of many cases of idiopathic infertility in men. Choline dehydrogenase (encoded by CHDH) converts choline to betaine in the mitochondria. 5-9% of men have 2 alleles for a functional SNP in CHDH (rs12676), and they have low sperm adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations with impaired sperm motility (asthenospermia) that should decrease fertility. Male mice in which CHDH is deleted also have very low sperm ATP, asthenospermia and are infertile. Supplementation of these mice with dietary betaine increases sperm motility and ATP concentrations. This purpose of this study is to conduct a phase I study of betaine treatment in men with 2 minor alleles for CHDH rs12676 to determine whether betaine supplementation is safe and to obtain preliminary data on the effects of betaine on sperm mitochondrial ATP concentrations and sperm motility in these men.

Conditions

• Men Carrying 2 Minor Alleles for Choline Dehydrogenase rs12676
• Male Infertility

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Betaine supplement

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-04-01
• Primary completion: 2016-07-01
• Completion: 2016-07-01
• First posted: 2014-04-24
• Last updated: 2016-09-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States