Prenatal support without the iron

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY OF FERTILITYBLEND:
A NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT FOR IMPROVING FERTILITY IN WOMEN

Lynn M. Westphal, MD, Mary Lake Polan, MD, PhD, MPH*, Aileen Sontag Trant, PhD

Purpose : To determine the impact of nutritional supplementation on female fertility.

Methods: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was initiated to determine the effects of FertilityBlend for Women, a proprietary nutritional supplement containing chasteberry, green tea, L-arginine, vitamins (including folate) and minerals, on progesterone level, basal body temperature, menstrual cycle length, pregnancy rate and side-effects.

Results: Ninety-three (93) women, age 24-42 years, who had tried unsuccessfully to conceive for six to 36 months, completed the study. After three months, the FertilityBlend (FB) supplement group (N=53 vs. 40 in placebo group) demonstrated a strong trend toward an increase in mean mid-luteal phase progesterone (from 8.2 to 10.4 ng/ml, p=0.06).  Among women initially low in progesterone (<12 ng/ml, N=34 in FB and 23 in placebo group), the increase in the FB group with low progesterone was highly significant (4.9 to 9.3 ng/ml; p=0.005). The average number of days in cycle with basal temperatures over 98F during luteal phase also increased significantly in the overall FB group (5.5 to 8.1 days, p=0.006). Among women starting with short cycles (<27 days, N=15 in FB and N=9 in placebo group), mean cycle length increased significantly in the FB group (from 24.2 to 27.6 days; p<0.001).  Among women with longer cycles (>32 days, N=11 in FB and 6 in placebo group), cycles tended to shorten in the FB group (from 41.6 to 31.7; p=0.02). The placebo group overall (N=40) did not show any notable changes after treatment, in any of the parameters studied. After six months, 17 of the 53 women in the FB group were pregnant (32%), and four of the 40 women in the placebo group were pregnant (10%; p<0.01). No significant side effects were noted.

Conclusion: Nutritional supplementation could provide an alternative or complement conventional fertility therapies.

To view the complete published study, click here.

Clinical and Experimental Obstetrician and Gynecology. XXXIII, n. 4, July 2006.

*Dr. Polan is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board and received stock options in the company for her service.

ADDITIONAL STUDIES

Below are list of published scientific and medical studies that support the effectiveness and safety of the individual ingredients in FertilityBlend.

Clinical Studies:

• Brown DJ.  1995.  Vitex agnus castus.  Clinical Monograph.  Townsend Letters for Doctors and Patients, October.
• Propping D, et al.  1988.  Diagnosis and therapy of corpus luteum insufficiency in general practice.  Therapiewoche 38:2992-3001.
• Caan B, et al.  1998.  Differences in fertility associated with caffeinated beverage consumption.  Am J Public Health 88(2):270-4.
• Bayer R.  1960.  Treatment of infertility with vitamin E.  Int J Fertil 5:70-8.
• Rushton DH, et al. 1991.  Ferritin and fertility.  Lancet 337:1554.
• McCloud D.  1996.  Female infertility: a holistic approach.  Aust J Med Herbalism 8(3):68-77.
• Czeizel AE.  1998.  Periconceptual folic acid containing multivitamin supplementation.  Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 78(2):151-61.

Clinical Studies:

• Costa M, et al.  1994.  L-carnitine in ideopathic asthenospermia: a multicenter study.  Andrologia 26:155-9.
• Zheng R-L and Zhang H. 1997. Effects of ferulic acid on fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile human sperm motility, viability, lipid peroxidation, and cyclic nucleotides. Free Rad Biol & Med 22(4):581-6.
• Kessopoulou E, et al. 1995. A double-blind randomized placebo cross-over controlled trial using the antioxidant vitamin E to treat reactive oxygen species associated with male infertility. Fertil & Steril 64(4):825-31.
• Geva E, et al. 1996. The effect of antioxidant treatment on human spermatazoa and fertilization rate in an in vitro fertilization program.  Fertil & Steril 66(3):430-4.
• Dawson EB, et al. 1992. Effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on the sperm quality of smokers. Fertil & Steril 58(5):1034-9.
• Scott R, et al. 1998. The effect of oral selenium supplementation on human sperm motility. Br J Urol 82:76-80.
• Moriyama H, et al. 1987. Studies on the usefulness of a long-term, high-dose treatment of methylcobalamin in patients with oligozoospermia.  Hin Kiyo 33(1):151-6.
• Takihara H, et al.  1987.  Zinc sulphate therapy for infertile male with or without varicocelectomy.  Urol 29(6):638-41.
• Czeizel AE.  1998.  Periconceptual folic acid containing multivitamin supplementation.  Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 78(2):151-61.