female reproductive issues Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Better Sleep, BMI, & Glucose Control Lower Female Infertility Odds

The AHA! Team — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 05:26:07 +0000

Tarun Sai Lomte via News-Medical – In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers explored the associations between Life’s Crucial 9 (LC9) and female infertility. Female infertility is a common reproductive condition. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study found that female infertility prevalence has increased by over 56 million cases in the past three decades worldwide, and is also projected to increase over the next decade. Female infertility can cause emotional and psychological stress. Besides, female infertility may be linked to the development of various gynecologic cancers, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular disease. As such, exploring risk factors for infertility for the reduction of disease burden and early prevention has important implications for reproductive health. Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) is a tool for cardiovascular health assessment by the American Heart Association. Recently, LC9 was proposed, building on the LE8, and includes a mental health assessment component. LC9 is associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, but with a limited increase in predictive power over LE8. About the study The present study examined the associations between female infertility and LC9. Female participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2013 to 2018 were included. Females not of reproductive age and those with missing data were excluded. LE8 was assessed by pooling four health behaviors (sleep health, physical activity, diet quality, and nicotine exposure) and four health factors (body mass index [BMI] and blood pressure, glucose, and lipids). The Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 was used to assess diet quality. Sleep health, physical activity, and nicotine exposure were self-reported. The blood glucose score was determined based on glycated hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, or a history of diabetes, while the blood lipid score was derived from serum levels of non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. A depression score was calculated from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The LC9 score was calculated as the average of the scores from the eight LE8 components and the depression score, each scaled from 0 to 100. Female infertility was ascertained from the self-reported Reproductive Health Questionnaire. Covariates included age, ethnicity/race, education, marital status, income-poverty ratio, alcohol intake, age at menarche, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) history, and intake of birth control pills. Multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between female infertility and LC9. The models were unadjusted (crude), partially adjusted (model 1), or fully adjusted (model 2). Furthermore, restricted cubic spline models were examined to investigate non-linear associations between the independent variable and female infertility. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate whether LC9 improves over LE8 in predicting female infertility. Findings The study enrolled 2,088 females, with an average age of 32.6 years. The prevalence of infertility was almost 14%. The infertile population was more likely to be non-single, non-Hispanic White, and older than females without infertility. Infertile females had lower LE8 and LC9 scores. As LC9 scores increased, subjects were younger, non-Hispanic White, free from infertility, moderate/light or never drinkers, and had higher age at menarche and no PID history. The fully adjusted model indicated that a 10-point increment in LC9 reduced the odds of female infertility by more than 21%. Similarly, a 10-point increment in LE8 decreased the odds of infertility by nearly 18%. Both LE8 and LC9 showed negative linear associations with female infertility. Further, higher scores for BMI, sleep health, blood glucose, and depression were each independently and inversely associated with infertility. Other LC9 components—diet quality, physical activity, nicotine exposure, blood lipids, and blood pressure—were not significantly associated. Further, the team identified ethnicity/race and age as significant effect modifiers. That is, the associations between infertility and LC9 were more pronounced in the Mexican American population and in women under 35 years. The ROC curve analysis revealed that LC9 and LE8 had comparable predictive capabilities for female infertility, with modest area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.594 and 0.590, respectively, indicating limited predictive utility. Conclusions The findings reveal inverse linear associations of LE8 and LC9 with female infertility. Depression, blood glucose, BMI, and sleep health were the components of the LC9 that were (inversely) associated with female infertility. However, LC9 did not significantly outperform LE8 in predicting female infertility. These results suggest that incorporating a depression score into LE8 may not be essential for infertility prediction, despite depression’s association with infertility. The authors note that the overlap between depression and other cardiovascular risk factors may reduce its added predictive value, and that depression assessment tools like the PHQ-9 may introduce subjectivity. Future research should examine the benefits of LC9 in other health domains, particularly in young women and underserved ethnic groups, and explore interventions targeting modifiable LC9 components, such as sleep and mental health. Limitations of the study include its cross-sectional design, reliance on self-reported measures, and the inability to infer causality. Journal reference: Li B, Zhai H. Life’s crucial 9 is inversely and linearly associated with female infertility prevalence: a cross-sectional analysis from NHANES 2013–2018. Scientific Reports, 2025, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-99023-7, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-99023-7 To read the original article click here.

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Zinc Shows Promise as Emerging Treatment for Yeast Infections

The AHA! Team — Mon, 27 May 2024 08:06:09 +0000

University of Exeter via Newswise – New research could one day pave the way for the treatment of vaginal yeast infections, by shedding new light on how microbes in the body absorb zinc. Around three quarters of women develop vaginal yeast infections at least once in their lifetime, and approximately 140 million women globally suffer from recurrent infections. Recurrent yeast infections can have an enormous impact of quality of life. Existing anti-fungal treatments are not always effective and resistance against these treatments is developing. Around three quarters of women develop vaginal yeast infections at least once in their lifetime Thrush is caused by a yeast called Candida. There are a number of species of Candida, but the one that causes most yeast infections is Candida albicans. Now, new research, funded by Wellcome and published in Science Translational Medicine and led by the University of Exeter’s MRC Centre for Medical Mycology has found that the trace mineral zinc could play a surprising role. Just like us, Candida albicans needs zinc in its diet and this yeast produces a molecule (Pra1) which tries to scavenge zinc as a food source. Now, researchers have found that this molecule triggers an inflammatory response, which they believe is responsible for many cases of thrush. Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow Dr Duncan Wilson, of the University of Exeter’s MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, led the research, and said: “Recurring thrush can be deeply distressing and problematic, and we urgently need new treatments. Our new finding on zinc is very exciting, because it suggests that simple provision of zinc could block the production of the inflammatory Pra1 molecule, but we’re not in the position to make treatment recommendations at this stage. We need larger scale trials to confirm the effect. Please don’t apply any products that are not designed for the genital area, as zinc can be toxic at high concentrations, and it could be extremely unsafe.” Zinc could block the production of the inflammatory Pra1 molecule In lab experiments, the team found that manipulating genes so that Candida albicans does not produce Pra1 prevented inflammation. They went on to find that applying relatively low levels of zinc in mice blocked Pra1 production and prevented inflammation. This is important because it is inflammation that causes the burning, itching symptoms of thrush. The research team also recruited women who had been experiencing vaginal infections at least once every three months. The women applied a vaginal moisturizing cream which contains a small amount of zinc nightly for two weeks, and then twice a week. Of six women who completed the study and had vulvovaginal candidiasis (thrush), five of them did not experience reinfection over the three-month study. Dr Wilson said: “These findings are very encouraging, although the number of participants is small. We are now carrying out a larger clinical trial to confirm that zinc treatments are effective. In the longer term, we hope this could be a promising strategy for a condition could evolve resistance to treatment. “We’d been studying this Pra1 molecule for more than ten years to understand its role in zinc scavenging – this research shows the fundamental importance of basic research of this nature, which can help shed light on how our bodies work and sometimes provide surprising routes to new treatments.” The paper is entitled ‘Zinc prevents vaginal candidiasis by inhibiting expression of an inflammatory fungal protein’, and is published in Science Translational Medicine. The research is supported by the Exeter NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. To read the original article click here.

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7 Pine Bark Extract Benefits, Including for Skin, Hearing & Diabetes

The AHA! Team — Mon, 06 May 2024 18:04:27 +0000

Kyra Oliver via Dr. Axe – We all know the power of antioxidants to improve health and the high-antioxidant foods we should eat regularly. But did you know that pine bark extract, like pine oil, is one of nature’s super antioxidants? It’s true. What gives pine bark extract its notoriety as a powerful ingredient and super antioxidant is that it’s loaded with oligomeric proanthocyanidin compounds — OPCs for short. The same ingredient can be found in grapeseed oil, the skin of peanuts and witch hazel bark. While OPCs found in this extract are mostly known for their antioxidant-producing benefits, these amazing compounds exude antibacterial, antiviral, anticarcinogenic, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. As such, pine bark extract can help reduce muscle soreness and may help improve conditions relating to: poor circulation high blood pressure osteoarthritis diabetes ADHD female reproductive issues skin erectile dysfunction eye disease sports stamina It addition, the OPCs in this extract may “inhibit lipid peroxidation, platelet aggregation, capillary permeability and fragility, and to affect enzyme systems,” which basically means it may be a natural treatment for many serious health conditions, such as stroke and heart disease. What Is Pine Bark Extract? Pine bark extract comes from the inner bark of the Pinus pinaster tree, most commonly found in Europe. A popular variety is the pinus maritime or the maritime pine that grows exclusively along the coast of southwest France. In 1534, a French ship led by the famous explorer Jacques Cartier became stranded in ice near Quebec, Canada. The crew fell extremely ill from scurvy, an extreme lack of vitamin C. Cartier’s crew crossed paths with a Quebec Indian who encouraged them to drink a tea made from pine bark and needles. Four hundred years later, a French researcher named Jacques Masquelier did some studies to understand why this natural remedy was so effective. He learned about the seemingly omnipotent antioxidant within it and how those antioxidants increase the absorption of vitamin C. Continued research showed that the pine bark contained flavonols and bioflavonoids, which hold tissue-repairing properties. Masquelier was easily able to create a pine bark extract from materials that were otherwise known as waste. Health Benefits 1. Lowers Glucose Levels, Improving Diabetic Symptoms Pine bark extract has been studied in regard to its ability to help diabetic patients. A study was conducted by the Guang An Men Hospital of Chinese Medical Science Research Institute with 77 diabetes type II patients to determine if the extract of the French Maritime pine bark provided anti-diabetic effects. Patients were given 100 milligrams of Pycnogenol®, a branded version of pine bark extract, for 12 weeks, with continued anti-diabetic treatment. The effects of the pine bark extract showed significantly lower levels of blood glucose and improved endothelial function when compared to placebo, concluding that supplementation of Pycnogenol for treating conventional diabetes may be beneficial. 2. Helps Prevent Hearing Loss and Balance Ototoxicity is ear poisoning and can occur when exposed to certain drugs or chemicals, such as cisplatin, that damage the inner ear or the vestibulocochlear nerve. This nerve affects our balance and hearing by sending signals to the brain. This condition can be temporary or permanent — however, some studies have indicated that pine bark extract may help alleviate these symptoms due to its high presence of antioxidants. Thus, this powerful extract may work as a natural ear infection remedy while improving balance and preventing hearing loss. 3. Staves Off Infections Studies have been conducted to review the effects of pine bark extract on pseudomonas infectious wounds. These wounds occur most frequently in hospitals or in those with weakened immune systems, such as after surgery. However, healthy people are not immune and can also develop mild infections, in particular after being in improperly chlorinated hot tubs or swimming pools. In one particular study published in Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences, researchers investigated the antibacterial activity of pine bark extract essential oil on staph infections, E. coli and pseudomonas infections. The antibacterial activity was assessed indicating that the essential oil of pine bark, specifically the proanthocyanidins, were effective against P. aeruginosa, significantly inhibiting its growth. Additionally, the results showed that the extract has significant “anti-pseudomonas activity,” making it a potential natural remedy and possible preventive measure for infections. 4. Protects the Skin from Ultraviolet Exposure Who doesn’t want amazing skin? Pine bark extract may be the perfect treatment since it’s an antioxidant dynamo. There is a seemingly growing problem with skin exposure to ultraviolet radiation and the confusion of how to get vitamin D from the sun while avoiding these skin-damaging rays. A review was conducted of French maritime pine bark extract, specifically using the nutritional supplement Pycnogenol. The study provided clear evidence that Pycnogenol does, indeed, offer photoprotection — however, it came out even better than expected, showing that it may be used to reduce hyperpigmentation of human skin while improving the “skin barrier function and extracellular matrix homeostasis.” 5. Decreases Erectile Dysfunction If you knew you could resolve your erectile dysfunction and, therefore, naturally remedy impotence issues, wouldn’t you? Erectile dysfunction has increased over the past decade or two, creating a pathway for various medications to land on the shelves of numerous medicine cabinets, but as you know, going for the natural approach can make a huge difference in overall health. According to a Japanese study, the combination of Pycnogenolt and L-arginine may produce the results you’re looking for, making the bedroom a much happier place. Forty-seven Japanese men with mild erectile dysfunction were given supplements with L-arginine and French maritime pine bark extract over four months. The research revealed that the sperm concentration greatly increased after about eight to 16 weeks of treatment, to include improved orgasmic function. No side effects were noted, unlike its synthetic counterpart. 6. Reduces Inflammation Pine bark extract’s antioxidants scavenge damaging free radicals in an effort to eliminate them, ultimately preventing disease. Studies were conducted in Turkey on subjects who underwent abdominal surgery to determine if the pine bark extract could help reduce the inflammation. They were given Pycnogenol for a period of 10 days. The outcome showed significant healing compared to those subjects who were not given any drug or remedy, concluding that Pycnogenol may be an effective remedy for healing of surgery-related lesions. 7. Helps Increase Athletic Performance Pine bark extract has been studied regarding its relationship to exercise performance, oxidative stress and inflammation to body that has been imposed by exercise. Research indicates that Pycnogenol provides an increase in endurance performance of trained athletes. It does this by improving the time it takes the body to reach a fatigued state through increased serum NAD+ levels. Additionally, athletes have endured less cramping and muscle pain when using the extract. It’s likely that muscle recovery time improved as well due to the high antioxidants pine bark extract contains. Risks and Side Effects While most studies do not indicate major side effects, pine bark extract may cause irritability and fatigue, and could interact with other drugs. Make sure to seek out the advice of your physician prior to using pine bark extract or the branded name, Pycnogenol. If you are taking blood thinners, do not take pine bark extract or Pycnogenol unless approved by your doctor. It’s been noted that taking OPCs and vitamin C supplements at the same time could increase blood pressure if you have hypertension. How to Use Pine bark extract can be found in liquid, tablet or capsule form containing 85 percent to 90 percent OPCs. It can also be found as creams, lotions or ointments, typically containing 0.5 percent to 2 percent pine bark extract. If you choose to use Pycnogenol, follow the dosage instructions on the label. It’s best to check with your doctor about the dosage, based on the symptoms you have and other possible conditions, prior to taking either pine bark extract or Pycnogenol. Final Thoughts Pine bark extract offers some amazing benefits since it’s so high in powerful antioxidants. From diabetes and sexual function to sports performance and beautiful skin, pine bark extract may be worth exploring to provide results you’re looking to achieve. Consider pine bark extract by having a conversation with your physician or a functional medicine doctor. You may want to start slow, taking smaller amounts, to ensure that your body works well with the OPCs found in pine bark extract. Once you’re sure that you don’t have any negative reactions, you may be able to increase your dosage according to the label. To read the original article click here.

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