Fat Eggs Cause Infertility
Obesity has been considered a major factor in infertility for a long time.
But now a University of Adelaide researcher believes she knows why. And she believes she knows how to reverse it.
In female mice.
That’s how she discovered that obesity affects eggs. By studying female mice.
The researcher, Cadence Minge, found that eating a high-fat diet causes damage to eggs stored in the ovaries. When fertilized, these damaged eggs can’t develop into normal, healthy embryos.
The culprit is a protein in the cells surrounding and nourishing the egg. The protein is called Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor gamma, or PPARy.
The way this protein acts helps to determine how the ovaries sense and respond to fats.
But when the protein was selectively targeted with an anti-diabetes drug called rosiglitazone, the harmful effects of obesity on egg quality were reversed. Completely.
Rosiglitazone is sold as Avandia by the drug company, GlaxoSmithKline.
The drug can switch on the protein, PPARy. This changes the way the ovaries sense and respond to fats.
Which helps embryos to develop normally.
But Ms. Minge cautions that rosiglitazone shouldn’t be considered a quick fix for infertile women.
First, the study has been done on mice only. It may not work on humans.
Second, the drug may have harmful side effects. There may be safer ways of activating the protein.
More research needs to be done.
But the study reinforces the importance of a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle for women who want to conceive babies naturally.
Technorati Tags: obesity, infertility, high-fat diet
August 27th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I heard there were problems with Avandia or is that a different drug?
August 27th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
I read that, too. I think Avandia increases the risk of a heart attack.
August 27th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
If it’s a high fat diet that causes all the damage, wouldn’t the ovaries of thinner women who eat high fat diets be hurt too? Does this only affect heavy women?
August 27th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
My wife’s cousin was having a hard time getting pregnant. The doctors told her it was because of her weight. She was almost 300 pounds. My wife’s going to tell her about this tonight.
August 27th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Another reason to lose weight.
August 27th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
This got me thinking, too. I know obese women can have trouble getting pregnant, but if it’s just about a high-fat diet, wouldn’t thin women be affected, too? I know a lot of thin women who don’t eat healthy, but they seem to get pregnant without any problems.
August 27th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
I would think it would be tricky to study this in human females because of the potential harm to their babies. It would be nice if they find an answer for all the women who want babies, though.