Rest Easy, Melatonin May Increase Your Fertility
How a Supplement for Sleeping Aid Can Awake Your Fertility?
When most people think of melatonin they think about sleeping but did you know that melatonin can also affect pregnancy?
As new research is showing, melatonin can have an influence on factors directly relating to pregnancy, including ovulation and the regulation of important reproductive hormones.
For a little background, melatonin is generated by the pineal gland. Melatonin levels increase after sunset and drop quickly in the morning with sunrise. This is because the exposure or absence of light is directly connected to the creation of melatonin–as the amount of light increases, the amount of melatonin decreases. Intuitively this makes sense since melatonin is encouraging the body to sleep in the evening.
Melatonin: Egg Protector
One overlooked concern in fertility is the effect of ROS, or reactive oxygen species, on egg quality. ROS can damage the mitochondria of the egg cell which directly impacts egg quality. ROS levels will increase naturally with age, but can also increase due to outside influences like smoking and poor nutrition. Fortunately, one factor that can decrease its negative effects is melatonin which is an antioxidant and fights off changes from ROS.
Even better, the melatonin your body produces also has a positive “domino effect,” encouraging the body to produce other positive antioxidants like glutathione, SOD (superoxide dismutase) and catalase. These come together to provide additional cellular protection–crucial for healthy eggs!
Melatonin: Hormone Hero
Melatonin can also influence your gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH controls both follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) which are the critical hormones for your ovulation cycle. Melatonin seems to help maintain these hormones but in doing so there are studies that suggest it can actually positively impact women with fertility concerns related to their FSH or LH levels, such as PCOS.
Needless to say, if you’re looking into maximizing your chances for fertility, getting proper and consistent rest is crucial–and melatonin supplements may be something to discuss with your fertility specialist. Don’t sleep on the help melatonin can provide!
If you have any questions about melatonin, supplements or just want additional guidance, the team at Reproductive Health and Wellness Center is here for you every step of the way. We have a comprehensive fertility wellness division that includes nutrition counseling, acupuncture, spiritual counseling and fertility therapy. Call 949-516-0606 to speak with our office about booking a session, or you can book an online consultation with our founder, Dr. Rosencrantz, to speak about your fertility needs.
At Reproductive Health and Wellness Center, we are experts at treating fertility issues. We provide the latest in cutting-edge embryo science by using the latest technologies, and we create innovative fertility plans tailored specifically to each individual. But we’re so much more.
