Ingredients of Solaray Fertility Blend

Scientists at Stanford University published a research study in the July 2006 “Clinical and Experimental Obstetrician and Gynecology” journal reporting that women who took Solaray brand Fertility Blend, a proprietary mix of chasteberry; green tea extracts; L-arginine; vitamins E, B6 and B12; folate; iron; magnesium; zinc and selenium, were more likely to get pregnant than women who took a placebo. Scientific evidence for each ingredient’s positive effect on fertility is considered here.

Chasteberry

• Chasteberry is approved in Germany for treatment of PMS and cyclic breast pain but not for infertility treatment. However, several small studies suggest chasteberry may promote fertility. For instance, a German study (conducted by I. Gerhard, A. Patek, B. Monga, A. Blank, and C. Gorkow) of women taking Mastodynon, a mixture containing chasteberry, showed that they were more likely to become pregnant than other women in the study who took a placebo. Pharmacist Cathi Donnehy describes additional evidence for the effectiveness of chasteberry and Fertility Blend in her extensive review published in the November 2006 issue of “Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health" and posted online (Medscape, 2007).

L-arginine

• L-arginine is an amino acid that dilates blood vessels and increases blood flow when it is converted to nitric oxide in the body. Dr. Cesare Battaglia reported in his 1999 publication in the “Human Reproduction” journal that daily ingestion of large doses of L-arginine increased blood flow to the reproductive organs, but a subsequent 2002 study in the same journal did not show a fertility benefit with increased blood flow. In fact, this later study, also by Dr. Battaglia, found that women who took large amounts of L-arginine actually produced lower-quality eggs and had lower pregnancy rates in their in vitro fertilization treatments than women who took placebo pills. The dose of L-arginine in Fertility Blend appears to be a lower dose than used in either study, so L-arginine may not cause the negative effects reported in the later study. However, the National Institute of Health still considers L-arginine’s effectiveness to be unproven for treating infertility (Medline Plus, 2009).

Antioxidants

• Antioxidants are a class of chemicals found in food and vitamins that clean up free radicals. Free radicals (also called reactive oxygen species or ROS) are the by-products of normal daily metabolic processes and are actually helpful in some metabolic pathways. Excess free radicals, however, cause oxidative stress and cellular damage if they are not removed. Antioxidants (vitamins C and E) and antioxidant cofactors, such as selenium, zinc and copper, are beneficial in preventing oxidative stress. Green tea also has antioxidant properties. ROS formation plays a role in the growth of follicles and egg maturation, but beneficial levels of ROS have not been determined. While vitamin supplements containing antioxidants are certainly beneficial to the body as a whole, effective doses specifically promoting fertility have not been established.

Folic Acid and B Vitamins (B6 and B12)

• Folic acid, a B vitamin, is critical in preventing neural tube defects in the developing embryo. You should take folic acid before you become pregnant, because the neural tube develops in the very early days of pregnancy, before you even know that you are pregnant. Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health looked at the dietary habits of thousands of nurses who were trying to get pregnant over a period of many years. Nurses who took a multivitamin regularly were more likely to get pregnant than those who did not take multivitamins. The study authors concluded that folic acid was likely responsible for much of the fertility benefit in the multivitamins.

Minerals (Selenium, Zinc, Iron and Magnesium)

• Selenium and zinc work with antioxidants to clean up free radicals, but it is not clear that selenium and zinc are specifically beneficial for female fertility. If you are deficient in iron during pregnancy, you may become anemic, which increases your risk of losing the baby. Adequate levels of iron and magnesium are important for achieving overall good health, which indirectly promotes fertility.

Fertility Blend

• The ingredients in Fertility Blend support good health generally, and some specifically promote female fertility. Overall, the mixture appears to support higher conception rates in women who took this mixture compared to women taking a placebo pill. L-arginine, which in large doses did not support fertility in some studies, is present in a lower dose of Fertility Blend. In addition, the usage instructions for Fertility Blend recommend discontinuing Fertility Blend when starting hormonal stimulation for in vitro fertilization to prevent supplement-hormone interactions.

Bottom Line

• Fertility Blend appears to have some fertility promoting benefit. Its benefit may be in part due to vitamins in the mixture, which are necessary for the promotion of overall good health, a prerequisite for fertility. Supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and should be used in moderation, alongside other good health habits. Fertility Blend, like other supplements and vitamins, cannot reverse the effects of aging, smoking or obesity, all major obstacles to fertility. Inform your physician of all herbal supplements and remedies you are taking to avoid interactions with prescription drugs, particularly medications used for hormonal stimulation.