# Efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of asthenospermia in obese men: study protocol for a randomized control trial

## TL;DR

This study tests if acupuncture can safely and effectively improve sperm motility in obese men with asthenospermia.

## Contribution

The study introduces acupuncture as a potential treatment for asthenospermia in obese men, offering new therapeutic evidence.

## Key findings

- The study will assess acupuncture's impact on progressive sperm motility and related fertility markers in obese men.
- Safety and adverse events of acupuncture treatment will be evaluated over a 24-week period.
- Results may provide alternative treatment options for improving fertility in obese men with asthenospermia.

## Abstract

Asthenospermia is one of the most common causes of male infertility. In recent years, with changes in dietary habits, the number of obese patients with asthenospermia has been increasing, leading to a decline in male fertility. However, there remains a lack of safe and effective treatments for this condition.

This study aims to confirm the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in obese patients with asthenospermia.

In our randomized controlled trial, 72 patients will be randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either acupuncture treatment or sham acupuncture treatment. Each group will receive treatment two times weekly for twelve weeks with another twelve weeks for follow-up. The primary outcome is the progressive sperm motility (PR). And the secondary outcomes include PR plus non-progressive sperm motility, sperm concentration, semen volume, sperm morphology, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage. We will also evaluate adverse events that occur during the acupuncture process.

This study is expected to demonstrate whether acupuncture is effective and safe in the treatment of asthenospermia in obese men.

The research findings will firstly provide new therapeutic evidence in treating asthenospermia of obese men and offer an alternative treatment options for improving the fertility of obese men.

https://itmctr.ccebtcm.org.cn, identifier ITMCTR2025002025.