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Oocyte and dietary supplements: a mini review.
Hao Chen1, Shuoqi Wang2, Meiying Song1
1First Clinical Medical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
|July 11, 2025
Summary
Dietary supplements like Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and antioxidants show promise for improving egg quality and fertility in animal studies. However, human research is inconsistent, highlighting the need for more rigorous clinical trials.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology and endocrinology
- Mitochondrial medicine
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Infertility rates are rising, increasing interest in dietary supplements for oocyte quality.
- Mitochondrial function, antioxidant activity, and epigenetics are key pathways influencing oocyte health.
- Supplements like Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), melatonin, resveratrol, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids are being investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence for dietary supplements in improving oocyte quality.
- To explore the mechanisms of action, including mitochondrial function, antioxidant effects, and epigenetic regulation.
- To assess the translation of preclinical findings to human reproductive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of preclinical (animal) and clinical (human) studies.
- Analysis of studies focusing on CoQ10, antioxidants (melatonin, resveratrol), folate, and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Evaluation of evidence regarding oocyte maturation, embryo development, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes.
Main Results:
- CoQ10 demonstrated efficacy in animal models for mitochondrial function and blastocyst development, with preliminary human data suggesting improved embryo quality.
- Antioxidants showed benefits in preclinical studies against ROS-induced damage, but human trials lack robust evidence.
- Epigenetic modulators like folate and omega-3 fatty acids show associations with improved ART outcomes and chromatin remodeling in observational studies.
- Preclinical data is compelling, but human trials show inconsistencies due to variable designs and confounders.
Conclusions:
- Dietary supplements show significant potential for improving oocyte quality based on mechanistic insights and preclinical data.
- There is a notable disconnect between animal study findings and human reproductive outcomes.
- Standardized randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are essential to validate these findings and inform clinical guidelines for infertility treatment.
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