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Effects of α-lipoic acid and myo-inositol supplementation on the oocyte environment of infertile obese women: A preliminary study
- Source :
- Reproductive biology. 20(4)
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Obesity is becoming pandemic and is associated with impaired reproductive potential. Oxidative stress, low-grade chronic inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunctions, which characterize obesity, strongly affect oocyte environment and function. Supplementation with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds has been suggested to improve fertility. Here we evaluated the effect of α-lipoic acid and myo-inositol supplementation on the oocyte environment of infertile obese women. Nineteen normal-weight and twenty-three obese women, infertile for non-ovarian reasons, were recruited. For two months before ovarian stimulation, all women received 400 μg/die folic acid, whereas 15 obese were additionally supplemented with 800 mg α-lipoic acid, 2 g myo-inositol/die. Antioxidant capacity was measured in follicular fluid by enzymatic assay; mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and mRNA levels of two respiratory chain subunits were analyzed in granulosa cells by Real-time PCR. Pregnancy rate was similar between normal-weight and treated obese, and lower in untreated obese patients. Supplemented women showed significantly higher antioxidant levels in follicular fluid compared to the two groups taking only folic acid. Conversely, granulosa cells mtDNA content was decreased in treated and higher in untreated obese patients compared to normal-weight women, suggesting mtDNA increases to compensate for oxidative-stress damages. Reduced expression of respiratory subunits in untreated obese may confirm mitochondria impairment. Interestingly, mtDNA levels inversely correlated to both total and metaphase II oocyte number. In this preliminary study, combined supplementation of α-lipoic acid and myo-inositol in infertile obese women was associated with amelioration in the oxidative status of the oocyte environment, possibly contributing to a higher pregnancy rate.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Adult
medicine.medical_specialty
Antioxidant
Pregnancy Rate
medicine.medical_treatment
Respiratory chain
Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Fertilization in Vitro
Mitochondrion
medicine.disease_cause
DNA, Mitochondrial
Antioxidants
03 medical and health sciences
chemistry.chemical_compound
0302 clinical medicine
Endocrinology
Ovulation Induction
Pregnancy
Internal medicine
medicine
Humans
Obesity
030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine
Granulosa Cells
Thioctic Acid
business.industry
Oocyte
Follicular fluid
Mitochondria
Pregnancy rate
Lipoic acid
Oxidative Stress
030104 developmental biology
medicine.anatomical_structure
chemistry
Dietary Supplements
Oocytes
Animal Science and Zoology
Female
business
Infertility, Female
Oxidative stress
Inositol
Developmental Biology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 2300732X
- Volume :
- 20
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Reproductive biology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....57371fbf2276b1fd1a5daf436d2f40f4