A nutritional supplement for improving fertility in women: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of nutritional supplementation on optimization of reproductive health in women.


METHODS
A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study was initiated to determine the effects of FertilityBlend (Daily Wellness Co., Sunnyvale, California), a proprietary nutritional supplement containing chasteberry and green tea extracts, L-arginine, vitamins (including folate) and minerals. Changes in progesterone level, basal body temperature, menstrual cycle, pregnancy rate and side effects were monitored.


RESULTS
Thirty women aged 24-46 years who had tried unsuccessfully to conceive for 6-36 months completed the study. After 3 months, the supplement group (n = 15) demonstrated a trend toward an increase in mean midluteal phase progesterone level (from 8.2 to 12.8 ng/mL, P = .08) and a significant increase in the average number of days in the cycle with basal temperatures >37 degrees C during the luteal phase (6.8-9.7 days, P = .04). The placebo group (n = 15) did not show any notable changes after treatment in any of the parameters studied. After 5 months, 5 of the 15 women in the supplement group were pregnant (33%), and none of the 15 women in the placebo group were (P <.01). No significant side effects were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Nutritional supplementation may provide an attractive alternative or complement to conventional fertility therapy.
Westphal
Lynn M
LM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA. lynnw@stanford.edu
Polan
Mary Lake
ML
Trant
Aileen Sontag
AS
Mooney
Stephen B
SB
D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine; D001831:Body Temperature; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008598:Menstruation; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D014815:Vitamins
D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D008903:Minerals; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014815:Vitamins; D011374:Progesterone; D001120:Arginine