scholarly journals Dietary Supplements for Female Infertility: A Critical Review of Their Composition

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 3552
Author(s):  
Amerigo Vitagliano ◽  
Gabriel Cosmin Petre ◽  
Francesco Francini-Pesenti ◽  
Luca De De Toni ◽  
Andrea Di Di Nisio ◽  
...  

Infertility is the condition of about 15% of couples that cannot get a conception after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse. In females, the reduced reproductive capacity underlies the most varied causes. Dietary supplements (DS) might be used to improve the pregnancy rate and a wide range of DS are proposed today to support female fertility. Although many authors demonstrated the positive effect of some of these products, the real efficacy of this approach is still debated. In order to evaluate the potential efficacy of DS for female infertility, we analysed the products marketed in Italy, using an original approach. A review of literature was performed to evaluate the effect of nutraceuticals on various female reproductive outcomes and to detect the minimal effective daily dose (mED) able to improve at least one of these. Thereafter, we conceived a formula to classify the expected efficacy of each DS. Each DS was scored and included into three classes of expected efficacy: higher, lower, and none. Ten out of 24 supplements (41.7%) resulted in the higher and 8 (34.3%) in the lower efficacy group, the remaining 6 DS (25.0%) were expected to have no efficacy. DS marketed in Italy are usually blends of many substances that are frequently employed at a negligible dose or without any evidence of efficacy. These findings raise serious doubt about the potential effectiveness of most commercial DS for female infertility.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 805-809
Author(s):  
Ketan L. Tamhankar ◽  
Gopal B. Sharma ◽  
Bhaoorao E. Borkar

Infertility is typically defined as the inability to conceive after at least one year of regular, unprotected sex. This affects 15–20% of couples. A male factor is estimated to be present in about 50% of cases. Male infertility is associated with significant psychosocial and marital stress. In Sharir Sthana ‘Mahatigarbhavktanti ’Adhyay Charaka mentioned about male infertility (Vandhyatva) and female infertility (Vandhyaatva). Vrushana and Shepha are Moola of Shukravaha Strotas. Testis and Vrushana, penis and Shepha can be correlate, so that the spermato- genesis and carrying of semen takes place. Shukra can be classified as Sukshma (invisible form of Shukra) and Sthula Shukra (semen). Vrushana and Shepha can considered as Moola Sthana with respect to Sthula Shukra. There are wide range of conditions causing male infertility. Out of which some causes anatomical change in Shukravaha Strotas which affects Parinaman (production) and Abhivahan (transportation) of Sthula Shukra. Keywords: Shukravaha strotas, Strotomoola, Shukra, Vandhyatva, Male infertility


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1472
Author(s):  
Andrea Garolla ◽  
Gabriel Cosmin Petre ◽  
Francesco Francini-Pesenti ◽  
Luca De Toni ◽  
Amerigo Vitagliano ◽  
...  

Dietary supplements (DS) represent a possible approach to improve sperm parameters and male fertility. A wide range of DS containing different nutrients is now available. Although many authors demonstrated benefits from some nutrients in the improvement of sperm parameters, their real effectiveness is still under debate. The aim of this study was to critically review the composition of DS using the Italian market as a sample. Active ingredients and their minimal effective daily dose (mED) on sperm parameters were identified through a literature search. Thereafter, we created a formula to classify the expected efficacy of each DS. Considering active ingredients, their concentration and the recommended daily dose, DS were scored into three classes of expected efficacy: higher, lower and none. Twenty-one DS were identified. Most of them had a large number of ingredients, frequently at doses below mED or with undemonstrated efficacy. Zinc was the most common ingredient of DS (70% of products), followed by selenium, arginine, coenzyme Q and folic acid. By applying our scoring system, 9.5% of DS fell in a higher class, 71.4% in a lower class and 19.1% in the class with no expected efficacy. DS marketed in Italy for male infertility frequently includes effective ingredients but also a large number of substances at insufficient doses or with no reported efficacy. Manufacturers and physicians should better consider the scientific evidence on effective ingredients and their doses before formulating and prescribing these products.


Author(s):  
Upasana Sharma ◽  
Sushila Sharma

Infertility is defined as inability of a couple to conceive after one year of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Incidence of ovarian dysfunction in the form of Polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) has become a leading cause of female infertility in today’s era. Polycystic Ovarian disease (PCOD) is a heterogeneous, multifactorial and polygenic endocrinal disorder. Acharya Sushrut explained about Bandhya Yonivya pada where Nashtartava is mentioned as the one and only symptom. In Ayurveda text word Aartava has been used extensively in different contexts; menstrual blood, ovum and ovarian hormones. Therefore Amenorrhea, anovulation, hormonal dysfunction can be considered as visible manifestations of Nashtartva. So, here an attempt has been made to explore Samshodhan (Virechan) as a possible line of treatment for Bandhya (Nashtartava). Material and method: Following is a case report of a female who was anxious to conceive after 4 years of active married life, along with H/O delayed menses.  Her USG reports showed polycystic appearance of ovaries and anovulation was noticed in follicular study. During this case study evaluation of Shodhan therapy (Virechan) and Shaman therapy in infertility due to ovulatory dysfunction was done. Result: Before the treatment patient was a known case of infertility due to PCOD and after treatment she conceived and delivered a healthy female baby. Discussion: Line of treatment was to enhance potency of ovum and with the help of Virechankarma, regularize vitiated Vata Dosha, Shrotoshuddhi and Aartava janan. Conclusion: Ayurveda therapy can be used in patients of infertility due to PCOD for better outcome and no adverse drug effect was noticed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 249-252
Author(s):  
Farzana MUZN ◽  
Arshiya Sultana

Background: Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after at least one year of unprotected intercourse. It is a complex disorder with significant medical, psychosocial, and economic problems. In about one third of couples are infertile. Approximately 167 million married women aged 15-49 years in developing countries were infertility. The present study aimed to determine the most common causes of female infertility in patients who visiting the National Ayuvedic Teaching Hospital, Borella, Sri Lanka. Methods: In this study 635 infertile (primary and secondary) women were selected to determine the causes of infertility. The subjects were selected from the gynecology clinic, between the periods of February 2015 to March 2016. The data were gathered using a questionnaire; and after that proper statistical method was applied to analyze the data. Results: From the results age between 28-37 years (37.16%) are more prevalent to infertility and the causes of infertility are mainly due to anovulatory cycle (31.18%) and menstrual irregularities (19.21%). BMI also one of the significant cause for infertility. Conclusion: Therefore, identifying the risk factors and proper treatment on time along with policy makers providing facilities to resolve the infertility could possible diverse this alarming increasing trend of infertility.


Author(s):  
Olena Zayats ◽  

The article examines the competitive status and competitive positions of Ukraine. It proves that in the current context the competitive status of the national economy is determined by the presence of a strong global competitive force that provides dynamic growth based on innovation potential, developed institutions, infrastructure, ICT adoption, macroeconomic stability, health, skills, product market, labor market, financial system, market size, business dynamism rather than by traditional factors (natural resources, geopolitical situation). It has been identified that a wide range of factors in global competitive force establishment suggests the complexity of its assessment. It has been noted that in world economic practice the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum is predominantly used to assess the competitive status of the national economy. It has been determined that according to this index, in the overall ranking among 141 countries in 2019, Ukraine ranked 85th (2009-2010 – 82/133; 2018 – 83/140). The article analyzes of the competitive status of Ukraine in the international arena in terms of twelve pillars of the studied index and in the context of components of the said pillars. The dynamics of Ukraine's global competitive force in recent years shows that there has not been any build up. However, if one analyzes it in terms of the criteria of the global competitive force of the domestic economy, their assessment is volatile: the main regression can be traced in the sphere of the financial system, where Ukraine dropped by 19 positions in one year (2018 – 117/140, 2019 – 136/141), and the greatest progress is observed in the product market, where Ukraine rose by 16 positions in one year (2018 – 73/140, 2019 – 57/141). Analysis of the components of Ukraine’s global competitive force criteria shows that the worst positions in terms of such components are as follows: non-performing loans (% of gross total loans) – 139/141 and soundness of banks – 131/141. The best positions are in terms of the following components: costs of starting a business – 14/141 and attitude towards entrepreneurial risk – 18/141.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Cao ◽  
Junling Wu ◽  
Qiang Zhang ◽  
Bashayer Baras ◽  
Ghalia Bhadila ◽  
...  

Orthodontic treatment is increasingly popular as people worldwide seek esthetics and better quality of life. In orthodontic treatment, complex appliances and retainers are placed in the patients’ mouths for at least one year, which often lead to biofilm plaque accumulation. This in turn increases the caries-inducing bacteria, decreases the pH of the retained plaque on an enamel surface, and causes white spot lesions (WSLs) in enamel. This article reviews the cutting-edge research on a new class of bioactive and therapeutic dental resins, cements, and adhesives that can inhibit biofilms and protect tooth structures. The novel approaches include the use of protein-repellent and anticaries polymeric dental cements containing 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and dimethylaminododecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM); multifunctional resins that can inhibit enamel demineralization; protein-repellent and self-etching adhesives to greatly reduce oral biofilm growth; and novel polymethyl methacrylate resins to suppress oral biofilms and acid production. These new materials could reduce biofilm attachment, raise local biofilm pH, and facilitate the remineralization to protect the teeth. This novel class of dental resin with dual benefits of antibacterial and protein-repellent capabilities has the potential for a wide range of dental and biomedical applications to inhibit bacterial infection and protect the tissues.


1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 365-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Golombok ◽  
Parimala Moodley ◽  
Malcolm Lader

SynopsisIn view of the very extensive and often prolonged use of benzodiazepines in therapeutic practice, this study was designed to investigate whether or not cognitive ability is impaired in longterm benzodiazepine users, and to determine the nature and extent of any deficit. Fifty patients currently taking benzodiazepines for at least one year, thirty-four who had stopped taking benzodiazepines, and a matched control group of subjects who had never taken benzodiazepines or who had taken benzodiazepines in the past for less than one year were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests designed to measure a wide range of cognitive functions. It was found that patients taking high doses of benzodiazepines for long periods of time perform poorly on tasks involving visual-spatial ability and sustained attention. This is consistent with deficits in posterior cortical cognitive function.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 2009
Author(s):  
Anne Grunenwald ◽  
Lubka T. Roumenina ◽  
Marie Frimat

The incidence of kidney disease is rising, constituting a significant burden on the healthcare system and making identification of new therapeutic targets increasingly urgent. The heme oxygenase (HO) system performs an important function in the regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation and, via these mechanisms, is thought to play a role in the prevention of non-specific injuries following acute renal failure or resulting from chronic kidney disease. The expression of HO-1 is strongly inducible by a wide range of stimuli in the kidney, consequent to the kidney’s filtration role which means HO-1 is exposed to a wide range of endogenous and exogenous molecules, and it has been shown to be protective in a variety of nephropathological animal models. Interestingly, the positive effect of HO-1 occurs in both hemolysis- and rhabdomyolysis-dominated diseases, where the kidney is extensively exposed to heme (a major HO-1 inducer), as well as in non-heme-dependent diseases such as hypertension, diabetic nephropathy or progression to end-stage renal disease. This highlights the complexity of HO-1’s functions, which is also illustrated by the fact that, despite the abundance of preclinical data, no drug targeting HO-1 has so far been translated into clinical use. The objective of this review is to assess current knowledge relating HO-1’s role in the kidney and its potential interest as a nephroprotection agent. The potential therapeutic openings will be presented, in particular through the identification of clinical trials targeting this enzyme or its products.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (21) ◽  
pp. 6514
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Ludwik Golewski ◽  
Bartosz Szostak

Siliceous fly ash (FA) is the main additive to currently produced concretes. The utilization of this industrial waste carries an evident pro-ecological factor. In addition, such actions have a positive effect on the structure and mechanical parameters of mature concrete. Unfortunately, the problem of using FA as a Portland cement replacement is that it significantly reduces the performance of concretes in the early stages of their curing. This limits the possibility of using this type of concrete, e.g., in prefabrication, where it is required to obtain high-strength composites after short periods of curing. In order to minimize these negative effects, this research was undertaken to increase the early strength of concretes with FA through the application of a specifically formulated chemical nano-admixture (NA) in the form of seeds of the C-S-H phase. The NA was used to accelerate the strength growth in concretes. Therefore, this paper presents results of tests of modified concretes both with the addition of FA and with innovative NA. The analyses were carried out based on the results of the macroscopic and microstructural tests in five time periods, i.e., after 4, 8, 12, 24 and 72 h. The results of tests carried out with the use of NA clearly indicate the possibility of using FA in a wide range of management areas in sustainable concrete prefabrication.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-169
Author(s):  
Pavlo Skliarov ◽  
Serhiy Fedorenko ◽  
Svitlana Naumenko ◽  
Oleksandr Onyshchenko ◽  
Alina Pasternak ◽  
...  

Animal reproduction is one of the main factors limiting the efficiency of livestock production. Its optimal level is possibly achieved when certain conditions are created for animals. As reproduction is a complex reflex process depending on neuroendocrine regulatory mechanisms, the character and strength of stimuli, which, in turn, is due to a number of factors. Under normal conditions, the body of animals is affected by many different factors, which are appropriately transformed and specified by positive or negative reactions. Inhibitory factors include air pool, saturated with harmful substances and gases, ionizing radiation, poor water quality along with altered redox properties, hypokinesia combined with poor unbalanced feeding, systematic chronic stress, presence of toxic substances in feed, and the deficiency of vitamins and other bioantioxidants in feed or their excessive spending. Of the wide range of genetic and paratypic factors of negative impacts on reproductive capacity, the most common one is alimentary, which causes impaired reproductive function due to deficiencies in the rules, regulations, and feeding regime of animals. In particular, the alimentary can be associated with both general malnutrition (starvation) and overfeeding (obesity). However, the alimentary form of infertility mostly occurs due to low-quality diets when the diet lacks vital components (mainly vitamins, macro-, and micronutrients) or the quantitative ratios of the ingredients are violated. This is possible even if the total nutritional value of the diet meets the established requirements for the physiological needs of the body. Vitamins, micro-, and macronutrients are ecologically deficient factors of disturbance of animal reproductive function, the influence of which is observed on all processes of reproduction, from fertilization to the postpartum period and the preservation of young animals. The pathogenesis of their insufficiency is associated with the violation of steroido-, gameto-, and embryogenesis and the emergence of ante-, intra-, neo- and postnatal pathologies, respectively. Therefore, treatments and prevention measures should be aimed at providing animals with biologically complete balanced feeding and replenishment of the body with vitamins and minerals. However, all these issues remain incompletely studied and need further research.


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