Table 1. Characteristics of the study population.
| Normozoospermic men | Oligospermic patients | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients | 250 | 200 | |
| Age of patients (year) | 36.9±7.3 | 36.1±6.6 | ns |
| Sperm concentration (×106 spermatozoa ml−1) | 76.1±53.3 | 9.9±6.1 | <0.001 |
| Sperm motility (%) | 54.2±17.1 | 37.9±16.9 | <0.001 |
| Sperm morphology (%) | 38.2±7.1 | 26.1±5.8 | <0.002 |
| Daily choline intake (mg) | 320.9±43.1 | 324.7±41.4 | ns |
| Daily betaine intake (mg) | 126.1±34 | 130.9±34.3 | ns |
| Body mass index (kg m−2) | 26.9±4.8 | 26.2±5.3 | ns |
| FSH (mIU ml−1) | 5.1±1.6 | 9.9±1.8 | <0.001 |
| LH (mIU ml−1) | 4.7±1.5 | 10.8±1.4 | <0.001 |
| T (ng dl−1) | 779±31 | 419±22 | <0.001 |
Abbreviations: FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone; LH, luteinizing hormone; ns, non-significant; T, testosterone.
Normozoospermic men: sperm concentration ≥20×106 spermatozoa ml−1; oligospermic men: sperm concentration <20×106 spermatozoa ml−1. Data are shown as mean±s.d.