Scientific Research on Fertility Supplements
Fertile Life supplements were designed based on years of research and clinical experience in the areas of vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and herbal formulations used to enhance fertility. Fertile Life’s goal is to provide a one-stop product for fertility, pregnancy and beyond using the latest scientific research, and offer it at a reasonable and affordable price. Fertile Life introduces several new groundbreaking concepts and combinations of ingredients that have never been used in any other fertility supplement;
Fertile Life is the first and only fertility supplement designed for both men and women.
Fertile Life is the first and only supplement to use a combination of multiple antioxidants and multiple bioflavinoids. Bioflavinoids are a powerful class of molecules that act to reduce inflammation, modulate the immune system and have demonstrated cell-protecting and cell-regenerating capabilities.
Fertile Life is the only fertility supplement to incorporate pomegranate, tumeric and acai berry, all compounds have been shown to exert numerous health benefits and are regarded as the most powerful antioxidant containing foods.
Fertile Life was formulated by one of the World’s leading fertility doctors in an effort to help his patients. Now it has been made available to everyone. What follows is a brief primer on the history/ development of fertility supplements, the rationale for using each ingredient and the current thinking in the science of infertility.
Current Concepts on Male and Female Infertility - Brief Overview
Infertility is thought to be (in-part) caused by a molecular chain of events that results in cell damage known as Oxidation. This is also the same process thought to be responsible for aging. Oxidation occurs when an unbalanced number of electrons are transferred from one molecule to another that leads to the generation of toxic compounds called Free Radicals. Free Radicals can initiate a chain reaction that ultimately causes damage to cell membranes and the DNA inside of cells. These processes can specifically harm sperm cells, oocytes (eggs) and embryos by either attacking those cells or by transforming a normally receptive and supportive physiologic environment into a hostile one. The body has a built-in capability to protect itself and maintain a healthy internal environment. This is accomplished by generating molecules and enzymes that neutralize free radicals and prevent the oxidative chain reaction. These compounds that scavenge free radicals are commonly known as Antioxidants. When the level of free radicals in a biological system outstrips the system’s ability to neutralize them with anti-oxidant free-radical scavenging compounds, we say that the system has a high level of oxidative stress. When this happens as a result of a pathological condition (disease) or as a by-product of naturally occurring chemical reactions or when there is a decreased ability for the body to scavenge (neutralize) free radicals the system can be overcome by toxins and thus harmed. This process is currently thought to play a major role in infertility in men and women. To review, Oxidative stress is a condition associated with an increased rate of cellular damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS)/free radicals.1 ROS have been shown to damage cell membranes and cause DNA damage by breaking the strands of DNA in the cell. Sperm DNA damage is now thought to play a major role on the inability of couples to conceive. 2,3,4,5,6,7
Oxadative stress is thought to negatively impact a number of reproductive processes including folliculogenesis (egg development), oocyte maturation, sperm DNA integrity, cause necrozoospermia (dead sperm), asthenospermia (abnormal appearing sperm), endometriosis and can lead to defective embryo development.7 Fertile Life supplement was created to improve all of the above areas of damage that can impact a couples chances to conceive.
Fertility Supplement History and Rationale
The traditional combination of fertility supplements that have been recommended by male fertility experts to improve sperm included:
Vitamin E- prevents oxidative chain from proliferating
Vitamin C- prevents oxidative chain from proliferating
Zinc- catalyzes the superoxide dismutase anion, decreases DNA damage
Selenium- a mineral important for prostate health, normal sperm development and is now recognized as important in female reproduction.
In the 1990’s, Carnitines (amino acid-like molecules) were proven to be beneficial for fertility, by improving the quality of sperm, specifically by exerting effects that protect the sperm membrane, scavenging free radicals that damaged sperm, enhancing sperm energy utilization, and increasing carnitine concentrations in the epididymis where the sperm are stored.8,9 The epididymis is the organ where the sperm mature, gain the ability to swim and undergo a series of membrane changes that allow the sperm to later penetrate and fertilize and egg. Interestingly, the epididymis has the highest concentration of carnitine in the human body. A huge amount of research has been done on carnitine and infertility and it is thought that carnitine can also enhance female fertility by exerting efects in the ovary and fallopian tube.
In 1999, a patient who was an herbalist started taking pycnogenol to improve his fertility situation. We tracked his results and after 8 years of trying to conceive, his wife finally became pregnant after he used the pychnoginal for 4 months. At the same time, his sperm improved dramatically. Recent studies of extracts of Pinus maritima bark (Pycnogenol), have found that it inhibits the cyclo-oxygenase enzyme, reduces prostaglandin production and inflammatory reactions and has been shown to improve sperm morphology and sperm counts in trials.10,11 Pychnoginol belongs to a class of compounds known as Bioflavinoids. Pycnogenol has the potential to aid in different areas of reproduction and has also been shown to be an effective treatment alternative for endometriosis.12
Bioflavinoids are polyphenolic compounds that are found as the pigments in leaves, barks, rinds, seeds and flowers and have synergistic effects with Vitamin C. They are classified into 4 groups; PCO (proanthocyanidins), Quercitin, Cirtus bioflavinoids, and Green Tea polyphenols. Dietary sources include citrus fruits, berries, onions, parsley, legumes, green tea and red wine. They have potent antioxidant, anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory effects and are beneficial for numerous medical conditions.13 Bioflavinoids show great potential in the treatment of infertility. Fertile Life contains several bioflavinoid compounds including Quercetin, Pycnogenol, Grape Seed Extract, Pomegranate and Acai Berry extracts. Quercetin has demonstrated effectiveness in prostatitis14 in men and on the endometrium15 in women. Inflammation in the genitourinary tract is a known cause of infertility as it causes oxidative stress which leads to DNA damage. Quercetin has been proven to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. It has also been shown to alter the endometrial environment, which is important for the implantation of the embryo and development of the fetus.
Fertile Life includes Tribulus terrestris, an herbal compound that improves sperm motility and increases efficacy of the acrosome reaction (allowing the sperm to penetrate the egg) and Glutathione, which plays a role in protecting sperm from oxidative damage.16 Glutathione is a thiol that is very important in both male and female reproduction. It acts in the fallopian tube, is present in follicular fluid and also functions in the endometrium.17 It seems to play a protective and supportive role for the oocyte. Tumeric, another herbal compound is one of natures most powerful anti-inflammatories and is the subject of many studies for its anti-cancer properties. Because of its powerful wound-healing properties and high anti-oxidant capacity, we have included it in Fertile Life, the first time it is being used in a fertility supplement. Fertile Life also contains Calcium, Iron, Vitamin D and Folic Acid, making it an effective pre-natal vitamin as well as fertility supplement.
References:
1. Wang X, Sharma RK, Gupta A, et al. Alterations in Mitochondria Membrane Potential and Oxadative Stress in Infertile Men: A Prospective Observational Study. Fert Sert. 2003; 80 Suppl 2: 844-850.
2. Agarwal A, Makker K, Sharma R: Clinical Relevance of Oxadative Stress in Male Factor Infertility: An Update. Am J Repro Immun. 2008; 59: 2-11.
3.Cocuzza M, Sikka SC, Athayde KS, Agarwal A. Clinical Relevance of Oxadative Stress and Sperm Chromatin Damage in Male Infertility: An Evidence Based Analysis. Int J Brz Urol. 2007; 33: 603-621.
4. Saleh RA, Agarwal A, Nada EA et al. Negative Effects of Increased Sperm DNA Damage in Relation to Seminal Oxadative Stress in Men with Idiopathic and Male Facto Infertility. Fert Sert. 2003;79 suppl. 3: 1579.
5. Agarwal A, Said TM. Role of Sperm Chromatin Abnormalities and DNA Damage in Male Infertility. Human Repro Update. 2003; 9:4, 331-345.
6. Moustaft MH, Sharma RK, Thornton J, et al. Relasionship Between ROS Production, Apoptosis and DNA Denaturation in Spermatozoa from Patients Examined for Infertility. Hum Repro. 2004; 19:1, 129-138.
7. Krajcir N, Chowdry H, Gupta S, Agarwal A: Female Infertility and Assisted Reproduction: Impact of Oxadative Stress. Current Woman’s Health Review. 2008; 4: 9-15.
8. Lenzi A, Lombardo F, Sgro P, et al. Use of Carnitine Therapy in Selected Cases of Male Factor Infertility: A Double-Blind Crossover Trial. Fert Sert 2003;79:292-299.
9. Cavallini G, Ferraretti AP, Biagiotti G, et al. Cinnnoxicam and L-Carnitine/Acetyl-L-Carnitine Treatment for Idiopathic and Varicocele-Associated Oligoasthenospermia. J Andro. 2004;25:761770.
10. Comhaire FH, Mahmoud A. The Role of Food Supplements on the Treatment of the Infertile Male. Repro Biomed Online. 2003;7:385-391.
11. Rosoff SJ. Improvement in sperm quality and function with French maritime pine tree bark extract. J Reprod Med. 2002 Oct;47(10):821-4
12. Kohama T, Herai K, Inoue M. Effect of French maritime pine bark extract on endometriosis as compared with leuprorelin acetate. J Reprod Med. 2007 Aug;52(8):703.
13. Evans CA and Miller NJ. Antioxidant Activities of Flavinoids as Bioactive Components of Food. Biochem Soc Trans.1996;24:790-795.
14. Murphy AB, Macejko A, Taylor A, Nadler RB. Chronic prostatitis: management strategies. Drugs. 2009;69(1):71-84.
15. Estany S, Palacio JR, Barnadas R, Sabes M, Iborra A, Martínez P. Antioxidant activity of N-acetylcysteine, flavonoids and alpha-tocopherol on endometrial cells in culture. J Reprod Immunol. 2007 Aug;75(1):1-10.
16. Glutathione and glutathione S-transferases A1-1 and P1-1 in seminal plasma may play a role in protecting against oxidative damage to spermatozoa Fert Ster;79: 169-172.
17. Ebisch IM, Peters WH, Thomas CM, et al. Homocysteine, glutathione and related thiols affect fertility parameters in the (sub)fertile couple. Hum Reprod. 2006 21(7):1725-1733