Co-enzyme Q10 -any thoughts?

[ranchgirl]

After miscarriage of twins following 2nd ICSI cycle, I've been reading up on how to improve egg quality (or if it's even possible). Found lots of info on Co-enzyme Q10 but when I went to Boots it was in the 'energy supplements' section and suggested medical advice if taking it and being pregnant?

Any thoughts?

Can't give much medical advice except a fertility website listed loads of supplements to take and that was one. I took 300mg a day and whether it was that that worked or pure coincidence, but my second round of ISCI worked.

By the way it's MUCH cheaper to buy via Amazon!

Hello, there was a thread about this a little while ago:www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/2470943-Co-enzyme-q10-for-egg-quality

I'm not really convinced and my consultant said 'no good evidence but it shouldn't hurt' but I bought some ubiquinol anyway and have been taking it for a month or so (just about to start stims for my second go at ICSI).

I found the book 'It starts with the Egg' really helpful - it's written by a woman who went through IVF herself, she's a biochemist and read lots of the medical research studies about the various supplements, and has written it all up into a very readable and easily digestible guide for the layperson. There's a whole chapter about antioxidants that I found v helpful for explaining actually how CoQ10 can improve egg quality.

The Lister Clinic actually recommend CoQ10 for poor responders - so it's v much medically recommended for IVF:

www.ivf.org.uk/media/54653/Low-Reserve-or-poor-response-what-can-we-do.pdf

Hope this helps xx

BTW the dose depends on which kind you buy - the cheaper stuff is usually the 'ubiquinone' version of CoQ10: the recommended dose for this is 600mg a day.

The 'better' fomulation, but sadly more expensive, is called ubiquinol - the standard stuff is converted to ubiquinol in the body, so by getting it already in the ubiquinol format, it's absorbed more effectively. Because of this, you only need to take 300mg of this stuff - the book I mentioned explains all this much more articulately than I have! xx

Thanks all

My husband has dna fragmentation and during my first ivf cycle I didn't produce many eggs. I did a LOT of research and decided to start us both on coQ10 as well as other vitamins 3 months before our second cycle. I had almost double the number of eggs and my husbands sample went from poor to within normal parameters. I truly believe without all the supplements we wouldn't have our ds.

DH
CoQ10
High dose vit e
High dose vit c
Omegas 3&6
Zita west men's conception vit

Me
CoQ10
Pregnacare
Omegas 3&6
High dose folic acid

Amazing Defenderwife! That sounds fantastic

I've been taking:

For egg quality & quantity:

• DHEA
• CoQ10 (Ubiquinol)
• Resveratrol
• Melatonin (whilst stimming only - can affect ovulation)
• high dose Vitamin D (low AMH can be related to vitamin D deficiency)

For lining:

• high dose Vitamin E

General

• Zita West Vitafem prenatal multivit
• DHA fish oil
• 5mg folic acid (I'm epileptic so have to take prescription strength)

I'm practically rattling!