A new review of the evidence on many nutritional supplements and eating styles believed to improve in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes has concluded that adopting a The Mediterranean diet during treatment would offer a single “simple approach” with good evidence of benefits compared to the Western diet.
Adjuvant therapies for increase the chances of conceiving through IVFespecially in cases where treatments have failed in the past, are now a common feature before and during the treatment cycle.
Evidence from studies of nine commonly used nutritional supplements has been inconsistent and not always of good quality. The analysis, carried out by Professor Roger Hart, from the University of Western Australia and City Fertility, Perth, Australia, is published in the peer-reviewed journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online.
The researcher assures that the extent to which nutritional supplements are used in IVF is largely unknown. “Normally they are not prescribed but purchased online or without a prescription. They are self-medicating and it is impossible to determine solid data on their use. “Our information is largely anecdotal, but it is clear from online IVF discussion forums that it is widely used and of great public interest,” says Professor Hart.
The nutritional supplements analyzed in the study were dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), melatonin, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ1O), carnitine, selenium, vitamin D, myo-inositol, omega-3, Chinese herbs and various diets (in addition to weight loss diets). Many have been considered as adjuvants due to poor response to previous IVF treatment, including DHEA and COQ10 appear to have more benefits in studies than control therapies. Similarly, there has been some evidence of the benefits of melatonin, but it remains unclear which patient groups might benefit or at what doses.
However, The evidence for a Mediterranean diet is much stronger and includes several well-designed randomized clinical trials showing benefits on both embryonic development and pregnancy outcomes (even with a six-week intervention program).
Professor Hart points out that the common features of these favorable regimes were a high consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish and monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils, but with limited consumption of highly processed foods. “These diets are rich in B vitamins, antioxidants, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fiber, and low in saturated fat, sugar and sodium,” he emphasizes.
Omega-3 fatty acids, often consumed as combination preparations, are the most studied dietary fatty acids in the IVF literature, largely, Professor Hart continues, due to their perceived benefits for general health and the reproduction. Evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids “may be beneficial” in improving IVF clinical outcomes and embryo quality.
Similarly, antioxidants are usually taken as combination supplements, but evidence from a major review (63 studies on antioxidants in reproduction) described them as being of poor quality and demonstrated no benefit in terms of live birth rate.
Therefore, from this wealth of evidence, Professor Hart suggests that a simple nutritional approach to facilitate IVF conception would be to adopt a Mediterranean diet. The use of COQ-10 And DHEA before starting IVF may be a useful supplement for women who previously had a poor response to ovarian stimulation, while free fatty acid supplementation Omega 3 can improve certain clinical and embryological results.
Professor Hart also suggests that all women trying to conceive should take adequate folate supplements, as well as seek advice from their GP or specialist to ensure they are in the best overall health for conception.
