Women who are facing fertility challenges and using in vitro fertilization (IVF) to try to conceive sometimes turn to supplements for help.
Unfortunately, a new study has found that the evidence to support this strategy is weak.
Conversely, the same study also found that a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet can indeed improve a woman's chances of becoming a mother.
According to a team led by Roger Hart, adopting the Mediterranean diet appears to be an "easy way" to boost fertility compared to the high-fat, high-sugar Western diet.
He is a Specialist in Reproductive Medicine and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Western Australia, based in Perth.
The new study was published in the Journal of Reproductive Biomedicine on Dec. 20**.
As Hart explained in a journal press release, "nutritional supplements are generally not recommended" for women undergoing IVF**.
Instead, women usually try it on their own. Therefore, such women are using supplements to "self**".
"Our message is mostly anecdotal, but it's very clear through the IVF discussion forum that these [supplements] are widely used and that they also get a lot of attention from the general public," Hart said. ”
But can supplements help women get pregnant?
To find out, the new study examined evidence collected for the following products: dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), melatonin, coenzyme Q10 (COQ1O), carnitine, selenium, vitamin D, inositol, omega-3 and traditional Chinese medicine.
The researchers also analysed various dietary data and whether they could help women who underwent IVF** to get pregnant.
As for supplementation, there is some weak evidence that DHEA and COQ10 work slightly better than any placebo or "control"** that women receive.
There is also some evidence to support melatonin, but it is unclear which type of woman may benefit from it, or what the optimal dose should be.
Antioxidant supplementation has not shown any effect on fertility.
However, there is more conclusive evidence that adopting a Mediterranean diet can increase the success rate of IVF.
This diet – which has been recommended as a generally healthy diet by numerous medical groups – contains plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, fish and olive oil, while avoiding highly processed foods.
"These diets are rich in B vitamins, antioxidants, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fiber, and are low in fat, sugar and sodium," Hart explains. Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular, "may be beneficial" in improving the effects of IVF (in vitro fertilization), including embryo quality, he added.
Studies have found that women can reap fertility benefits from using the Mediterranean diet for up to six weeks.
Overall, Hart and his colleagues concluded that switching to this type of diet may be the most effective single step women who want to have IVF can take to help them achieve pregnancy.
In addition to this, he adds, taking DHEA, coenzyme Q10 and omega-3 fatty acids may also help. Hart also stressed that women should always consult a doctor to ensure good health when trying to conceive.
More information. Visit the Mayo Clinic to learn more about IVF.
*: Reproductive Biomedicine**, press release, December 20, 2023.
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