8 Supplements for Egg Quality
Egg quality is very important for not only fertility, but also for general health because if you have poor egg quality this can be an indicator that your hormones are off balance. Many other factors can affect egg quality one of the main reasons being age as you get closer to menopause your egg quality can diminish. Fortunately, there are certain supplements for healthy egg quality to support fertility, hormone balance, and general health.
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Here are 8 supplements that can help to improve egg quality:
1. CoQ10 (or ubiquinol)
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is one of the supplements for egg quality promotion. There is a complex process involved for the oocyte (egg) to mature properly to be fertilized. This needs lots of energy via a process in the mitochondria called oxidative phosphorylation. CoQ10 is an enzyme involved in this mitochondrial energy-producing process. Studies have shown that this enzyme declines with age, and therefore egg quality also declines, also CoQ10 is beneficial for increasing ovulation. Due to this CoQ10 is one of the supplements for egg quality.
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2. NAC - N-acetyl Cysteine
NAC stands for N-Acetyl Cysteine, which is the supplemental form of cysteine, an amino acid in our body that aids to produce a powerful antioxidant, glutathione. As a supplement, NAC helps to improve the body’s insulin response, lower testosterone naturally and helps to protect egg quality. It has also been shown to improve ovulation and pregnancy rates for those with PCOS. This is why NAC is one of the great supplements for egg quality.
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3. Zinc
Another one of the supplements for egg quality is Zinc. A study found that zinc is able to increase the number of binding sites on a progesterone receptor in order to increase progesterone naturally. As mentioned progesterone is very important for fertility because it helps prepare the body for pregnancy by ensuring egg quality among other things. In addition to progesterone itself, zinc also aids in egg quality to increase fertility. Zinc deficiency can be very harmful as it causes the risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, placental inflammation, neural tube defects
4. Melatonin
Melatonin is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain and it has a role in sleep regulation with the circadian rhythm, which are the daily body changes that occur to indicate awakeness and sleepiness. One of the main mechanisms why we feel awakeness and sleepiness is due to our sensory reactions to light and dark. Naturally, our body will start to get more tired as the sun goes down and vice versa. Supplemental melatonin is typically used for those folks who do not have a sensitivity to light and dark and therefore have trouble falling asleep. Sleep deprivation is very important to avoid in order to balance out cortisol levels. When cortisol is at a high production this can negatively impact stress levels and other hormones leading to reduced egg quality.
The way melatonin affects ovulation is also an important relationship because melatonin can decrease oxidative stress due to antioxidant properties to protect and promote egg maturation and quality. In addition, melatonin has a positive effect on progesterone, our pregnancy promoting hormone, so this can also be a reason for better egg quality too. This explains melatonin reason for being one of the supplements for egg quality.
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5. Myo-Inositol
Another one of the supplements for egg quality is a vitamin B-like compound, Myo-Inositol. It has been shown to improve egg development and quality, and improve insulin sensitivity. Due to the insulin effect, Inositol can help to lower testosterone naturally levels which results in balanced blood sugar control. Though it can be supplemented, Inositol is found naturally in fruits like cantaloupe and citrus, but also in beans, brown rice, and other fiber-rich foods. Restoring all these mechanisms allows inositol to help regain ovulation which is how to improve egg quality.
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6. Antioxidants
Antioxidants are another one of the compounds found in supplements for egg quality. Oxidative stress damages cells and reduces their ability to function, especially when trying to conceive. Reactive oxygen species or ROS enter the body on a daily basis through many different avenues, these ROS have very high energy levels and can damage cell functionality. Our body responds by sending antioxidants to get rid of the ROS. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance in this system, either too many ROS or not enough antioxidants. Our body can make certain antioxidants on its own, but if we consume them through the diet this makes the antioxidants more readily available to eliminate the ROS, decrease oxidative stress, and promote egg quality.
7. Omega-3
Another one of the supplements for egg quality is omega 3s which have anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce oxidative stress. Two types of polyunsaturated fats are omega 3 and omega 6. Most western diets consume a ratio of 1:20 of omega 3 to omega 6 when it should be 1:3. This evidence is correlated with inflammation incidence in women showing that omega 6s are pro-inflammatory while omega 3s have protective effects that are anti-inflammatory which will boost fertility. Oxidative stress is important to prevent because studies have shown that it can damage ovarian follicles (the sac that holds the eggs), which will decrease egg quality. For the fetus, omega 3s have been found to increase brain and eye development when consumed during pregnancy. There are 3 types of omega 3 compounds to consume DHA, EPA, and ALA. DHA and EPA which come from fish sources have been found to be more beneficial than ALA which comes from plant sources in terms of fertility.
8. DHEA
DHEA or dehydroepiandrosterone, is a weak androgen hormone, that is a precursor for estrogen and testosterone. It can be used in supplements for egg quality, but it is to be used with caution. Since DHEA is an androgen, you must rule out that you do not have already elevated levels of it, or else supplementing is counter-intuitive. If you are low, this is a clue that you may benefit from taking DHEA supplements for egg quality. DHEA is produced by the adrenal glands and it helps to replenish these hormone levels for proper egg development. Levels can naturally decline with age, which is associated with age-related infertility and diminished ovarian reserve.
