A fertility
herbal supplement including Arginine has promising results in Stanford
study.
April 20, 2004
STANFORD,
Calif. - A researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine says a
small study shows promise for a nutritional supplement that may help boost
fertility in women who have difficulty conceiving. Initial results indicate
that of the women who took the supplement, one-third became pregnant after
five months.
"This was a small, pilot study but if the findings hold up in a larger
trial, the supplement may be a feasible treatment for some women," said Lynn
Westphal, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, whose study
results appear in the April issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine.
One in six couples in the United States has trouble conceiving, Westphal
said. The possible culprits include endometriosis, polycystic ovarian
syndrome, male factor infertility and irregular menstrual cycles, among
others.
Treatments vary, and she said a growing number of patients have expressed
interest in pursuing alternative therapies before taking more aggressive
routes such as in vitro fertilization. Despite this, little research has
been done on the benefit of a pre-pregnancy supplement to optimize fertility
health.
"There's not a lot of work in this area but it's an important one," she
said. "Many women are interested in avenues aside from aggressive
infertility treatment. If we can find an effective way to treat patients
less invasively, it would be a great benefit."
The supplement she studied, marketed as "FertilityBlend," contains
chasteberry (an herb that has been shown to improve ovulation and restore
progesterone balance, which can be skewed in women having difficulty
conceiving), L-arginine (an amino acid that improves circulation to the
reproductive organs), green tea and numerous vitamins and minerals.
To study the effects of FertilityBlend, Westphal recruited 30 volunteers who
had tried unsuccessfully to conceive for six to 36 months. The women ranged
in age from 24 to 46; some had been tested and diagnosed with a particular
disorder that hindered their fertility while others fell into the category
of "unexplained" infertility.
During the double-blind study, the women were randomly assigned to take the
supplement or a placebo three times a day. Changes in progesterone levels,
basal body temperatures and menstrual cycles were then monitored.
After three months, the supplement group had an increased progesterone level
and a significant increase in the average number of days in their menstrual
cycle in which they had basal temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius, which
indicates better ovulation, Westphal said.
The placebo group, meanwhile, showed no notable changes. After five months,
five of the 15 supplement participants were pregnant and none of the 15
women on placebo were. The pregnancies resulted in four healthy babies; one
woman miscarried.
"I was definitely skeptical before the study, but the results are
promising," said Westphal, adding that she believes the chasteberry
component of the supplement most likely played the biggest role in boosting
fertility.
Westphal said she considers the supplement a good option for younger women
who choose to forego or postpone aggressive treatment. However, she
encouraged women over the age of 35 who have been trying to get pregnant for
more than six months to get a full evaluation from their physicians.
Based on its promising findings, Westphal's pilot study has been expanded to
a larger multicenter study. She is currently enrolling women ages 18 to 43
who have been trying to get pregnant for six to 36 months and have abnormal
menstrual cycles.
She is also looking for men to enroll in a separate study on FertilityBlend
for Men, a supplement containing L-carnitine (an amino acid that can improve
sperm function) and ferulic acid (an antioxidant that has shown to improve
sperm quality). Interested volunteers should call (650) 498-7911.
The study was funded by the Asian Cultural Teaching Foundation and the
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Daily Wellness Co., which manufactures
FertilityBlend. Westphal's Stanford colleague on the study was Mary Lake
Polan, MD, PhD, who serves on the scientific advisory board of Daily
Wellness.
Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education
and patient care at its three institutions - Stanford University School of
Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical
center's Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu.
posted on website:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
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