NMN · Research · Mar 08, 2022

Does NMN supplement increase fertility for women?

NMN (Nicotinamide mononucleotide) is an important molecule present inside all your body cells, also known as NAD+. Cells use this molecule in several important functions, especially in energy production. And this energy is used to activate the protein, which repairs damaged DNA. But with growing age, this molecule decline in your body cells. Let’s discuss does NMN supplement increase fertility in women?

NMN Supplement fertility, does a small NMN dosage increase fertility in woman?

The decline in egg quality with age

when a woman is born, all her eggs are already present in the body and will age with her throughout life. Although a female in her mid to late 30s can be physically fit and healthy, her oocytes are likely to be low-quality because of aging. This condition reduces the chance of getting pregnant and enhances the risk of chromosomal disorders in newborns.

According to Professor Homer, there is a continuous increase in pregnancy problems in women aged 40 or later; that's why every 1 in 4 women is getting IVF treatment to get pregnant. So, there is an opportunity to improve egg quality through oral intake of NAD boosting agent, which is non-invasive compared to IVF.

Does NMN Supplement increase fertility?

Research has also revealed that NMN helps improve oocyte quality in aged rats by restoring the adequate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels. In simple words, oocytes are the beginning of your life. They are immature egg cells, which mature and convert to the ovum, commonly known as an egg. However, with growing age, there is a decrease in their quality. So, there is always an effective approach to improve their quality through supplementation or diet. According to Professor Hayden Homer, good-quality eggs are important for a successful pregnancy as they provide all the building blocks needed by an embryo.

One recent study has revealed that the oral administration of NMN supplements in aged mice for four weeks effectively improves egg quality. The research provides a potential strategy to enhance women's reproductive ability in advanced age. The University of Queensland has found that non-invasive treatments (such as NMN supplementation) are good for restoring and maintaining egg quantity and quality and preventing the biggest pregnancy barrier in older age.

According to health experts, high-quality oocytes are mandatory for successful fertilization and proper embryonic development. In mammals, reproductive aging in females is defined by a decline in the quality and quantity of oocytes and a fluid-filled sac containing ovarian follicles. A study has shown that poor-quality oocytes are the most prevalent cause of infertility in older women. And also a primary reason for suboptimal reproductive outcomes.

Impact of NMN supplementation on oocytes quality

In the study, a researcher has observed that there is a visible decline in ovulated oocytes with growing age. Simultaneously, several fragmented oocytes (immature defective egg cells) increase and break easily and ultimately die. However, when a researcher treated an aged oocyte with an NMN supplement, it restored its NAD+ level, improved the maturation rate, and effectively removed the defective and fragmented aged oocytes. Besides, the researcher observed that aging severely affects female's follicle development, but the NMN supplementation improved the follicle number.

Furthermore, researchers observed that NMN supplementation enhanced the fertilization ability of aged oocytes and their quantity and quality. Also, NMN supplements significantly improved the embryonic development of fertilized oocytes. Besides, they observed visible improvement in the production rate of blastocysts (a cell collection at the time of early development in humans) from fertilized oocytes. Thus the study depicted that the NMN supplementation in old females can significantly improve fertilization ability and embryonic development in aged oocytes.

How does NMN increase fertility? Molecular mechanism

Finally, the researchers have found that NMN revitalizes old oocytes by restoring the distribution and function of the mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell). They observed that the NMN significantly inhibits the deposition of free radicles (unstable molecules, which can damage proteins, DNA, and RNA) in mitochondria, resulting in cell death. Simultaneously, NMN supplements decrease the DNA damage and ultimately cell death.

These findings offer an effective approach to increase fertility in aged women and to receive better quality egg cells for assisted reproductive technology. Collectively, research results have revealed that the NMN supplements effectively protect egg cells from age-related changes and damage.

Are NMN supplements safe?

There are no human trials related to fertility yet. But animal studies have not reported any side effects of NMN supplements. The research has shown that the oral administration of 100, 200, and 500 mg of NMN doses are safe and well-tolerated. It does not cause any visible clinical change in heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. Read more about the safety and side effects of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide here.

Side effect and precaution of NMN supplements

The only problem reported with NMN supplements was their storage. When they were stored in a warm and hot environment, it was degraded into Nicotinamide, a poison that can be harmful to your body. So, to prevent this damage, it should be stored properly at low temperatures, especially in refrigerators.

Recent research has revealed that minor side effects, including reduced sleep and memory, are observed by using NMN for seven days. In this condition, give a break to your body; consult your dietician, and again start taking the supplement according to her guidelines.

Bottom line

Does NMN supplement increase fertility in women? Scientific evidence has shown that egg equality declines with age in females, which creates a problem in getting pregnant. NMN supplementation can significantly increase NAD+ levels, which is important in improving fertility in aged females. These supplements improve egg quality, quantity, fertilization rate, and embryonic development. NMN supplements are safe and well-tolerable but have problems with storage. So, to prevent their side effects, they should be stored at low temperatures.