Weight loss Update

I have been using Fitness Pal to limit my calories and track my workouts for 33 days so far. I really like it and it is easy to use. I broke the 170 barrier today. I started out at 175.6 and am down to 169.8 today. So I have lost 5.8 lbs so far. I have lost 1/2 an inch off my waist and 1 inch off my hips so far but when I look at myself I can't really tell a difference yet. My husband has lost 10lbs and is already down a size in jeans.

I was 190 at my heaviest, in the summer of 2012 I lost 20 lbs just by limiting calories. I have been pregnant twice since then and gained a little bit back each time. My goal weight is 150, which is what I weighed in high school when I was very active and fit.

I have mostly been walking for exercise. My husband and I try to walk 3 miles everyday but the weather has not been that great so we have only worked out 11 of those days. The weather is starting to get nicer so we should be able to work out just about every day from now on.

The only bad thing is that my cycle decided to get crazy. I am already on Cycle Day 20 and have not had any fertile mucus, just glue-like so far and no positive OPKs. I will either be really late ovulating this cycle or annovulary. I have not had an annovulary cycle since I have been tracking it, which I started in 2012. Last time I lost weight my cycle was still regular so I thought it would do the same this time. From what I have read it seems pretty common. Maybe it is because I am actually working out this time.

4 years Trying to Conceive

AF started on March 10th. I was very disappointed since that cycle was the 4 year mark of us trying to conceive. I have been depressed about it and starting to feel like we are never going to have kids.

I was also very worried because ever since my HSG my cycles have been more painful. This cycle was unusually light but lasted longer. The first 3 days were very painful.

In the past my cycle was always painful and heavy on the first full day of flow. I would usually then have a medium and light day followed by a few days of spotting. This time I had 5 days of light flow and 2 days of very light spotting. I can't really tell but I am hoping that it was the same amount of flow just spread over more days.

Last cycle I took vitex and royal jelly. I only took the royal jelly until I ovulated but I will be taking it the entire cycle this time. I will not be taking Vitex this cycle.

Tested Yesterday... BFN

I decided to take a pregnancy test yesterday morning. By that point I thought I was pregnant for sure, I have been having cramping like the last 2 times I was pregnant. It was negative, I was about 10 or 11 dpo.

I was so disappointed and depressed. This month is the 4 year anniversary of us starting to try to have a baby. So that plus the symptoms I have been having got my hopes up. Technically it could have been too early so I am debating on testing again or just waiting for AF to arrive. AF should be arriving on the 10th or 11th, so in 2 or 3 days.

Review of Royal Jelly

This is the brand I was taking this cycle.  
 I have had a hard time finding information on what dose to take so I took 5 tsp per day which equals the 1000mg used in the endometriosis study.  That equals roughly 2 of the large spoons we eat with so I will take 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening. At first I tried taking it on an empty stomach which is what is recommended but it tastes pretty gross and was making me naueaus and upsetting my stomach. So I switched to adding it to my greek yogurt. I still upsets my stomach and gives me slight heartburn but much better than it was before. 
 


I also had my husband take it but the taste was making him gag so he switched to these from Walmart. I made the mistake of biting one open to taste it. The royal jelly itself is supposed to taste bitter so I wanted to make sure it was actually royal jelly. If you taste royal jelly by itself and it tastes sweet then that is not real royal jelly. That pill was literally the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted in my life. 

Neither one of us have noticed any difference in energy, which is what I was really hoping for. But ... I think my ovulation this cycle was stronger. I was sitting in the car waiting while my husband ran into the store real quick and all of a sudden I had a pulsating pain in my left ovary, it was very painful and lasted about 10 minutes. Normally I just have a dull ache leading up to ovulation, which I had on the days after that. That pain was 3 or 4 days before I actually ovulated and 2 days before a positive OPK, so that makes me think my ovary was more active this cycle. 

I ended up stopping the royal jelly once I ovulated and will restart it again if AF arrives. I have a little bit less than half of the jar left. If I use that up and decide I want to continue taking it I will switch to the pill form with royal jelly and propolis. I am hoping that form will not give me heartburn.

Royal Jelly, Pollen, & Propolis

Royal Jelly

Royal Jelly is a substance that is secreted by nurse worker bees. One larva that is to be the Queen Bee is fed only royal jelly its entire life. This exclusive feeding triggers the full development of her ovaries which is needed to lay the millions of eggs she will lay in her lifetime.

Royal Jelly is rich in amino acids, lipids, sugars, some vitamins, fatty acids and most importantly, proteins. It contains ample levels of iron and calcium. Royal Jelly also contains acetylcholine, which is needed to transmit nerve messages from cell to cell.

Royal Jelly may be beneficial for the following:

• To increase libido
• Support egg and sperm health
• Diminish and reduce the signs of aging
• To reduce inflammation caused by illness or injury
• To naturally boost the bodies immune system

Bee Pollen

Because bee pollen varies from source to source depending on time of year, location, ect. it is hard to pinpoint exact nutritional benefits as they may be different with each batch. Bee pollen does contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins and amino acids. It is said that bee pollen contains antihistamine properties which may reduce allergies.

Bee pollen has been reported to have great results in boosting immunity, fertility for both men and women, reducing allergies and boosting overall nutrition, as well as having healing benefits for a variety of other health conditions.

Bee Propolis

Bee Propolis is a resinous mixture of tree sap, tree buds, tree leaves and other botanical sources that the bees make to seal small openings in their hives.

A study published in Fertility and Sterility (2003;80:S32) showed that 60% of women with endometriosis related infertility who took 500mg of bee propolis twice a day for 9 months became pregnant as opposed to 20% in the placebo group. Endometriosis pain, scar tissue and adhesion formation is thought to be triggered by inflammation response. Bee propolis has been shown to be extremely anti-inflammatory which may reduce endometriosis.

Preliminary studies suggest its highly anti-inflammatory properties may be greatly beneficial for fertility issues that may trigger inflammation response such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, blocked fallopian tubes, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), and reproductive trauma or surgeries.

Ubiquinol CoQ10 for Egg and Sperm Health

My husband and I both take 100mg of Ubiquinol daily to improve our egg and sperm. I also am worried that our miscarriages could be caused by low quality sperm or eggs and it certainly won’t hurt for them to be the best they can be.

The most biologically active form of coenzyme Q10, known as Ubiquinol, has been shown through several studies to improve both egg and sperm health, while playing a key role in protecting DNA at a cellular level.

CoQ10 is considered by many to be the miracle nutrient because almost every living cell relies on it for energy production. The body requires certain levels of CoQ10 to function properly. If these blood levels drop, the body becomes more susceptible to disease and premature aging. This is why CoQ10 is so vital to the health of both the male and female reproductive system; most importantly egg and sperm health. 

There are two forms of CoQ10, ubiquinone and Ubiquinol. CoQ10 starts off as ubiquinone and then is converted within the cell to the more powerful Ubiquinol. Ubiquinol is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants. 

Most all CoQ10 supplements available are in the form of ubiquinone. Ubiquinol is different in that it is the most biologically active form of coenzyme Q10 and does not need to be converted by the body. Ubiquinol is eight times more potent than ubiquinone.

Studies have shown that the presence of the most biologically active form of coenzyme Q10 Ubiquinol in the cell membrane may help reduce cell and DNA damage caused by free radicals, which has been shown to reduce blood pressure and improve egg health, sperm health and in turn embryo quality.

As we age, the ability of the body to produce and metabolize ubiquinone to Ubiquinol declines. Some reports have stated that this decline becomes most apparent around the age of 40, but may begin as early as 20 years of age

Ubiquinol to Improve Reproductive Health and Boost Fertility

Several diseases associated with infertility and reproductive dysfunction are linked to oxidative stress including endometriosis, unexplained infertility, PCOS, POF, menstrual cycle irregularities, preterm labor, recurrent miscarriage, egg health, sperm health and motility. Several studies show that antioxidant supplementation can reduce oxidative stress, which positively affects the outcome of each of these issues.

Sperm Count & Health
Just as each ova contains DNA, so does each sperm; the other vital half to the creation of a child. CoQ10 deficiency may lead to not only damaged DNA within the sperm, but low levels affect the ability of sperm to swim, known as motility. The higher the blood levels of CoQ10, the greater the sperm’s ability to be strong swimmers. A study in 2009 showed that low levels of CoQ10 in the seminal fluid impacts sperm motility, but supplementation with CoQ10 greatly improved and restored sperm motility in men with very low levels of sperm motility.

One study showed that healthy sperm, with normal morphology (shape), incubated with 50 mg of CoQ10 had a significant increase in sperm motility. That same study also showed that 17 patients with low fertilization rates who supplemented with 60 mg of CoQ10 daily for 103 days had a significant improvement in fertilization rates.

Defective sperm function in infertile men has been shown to be directly associated with increased free radical stress. This is where Ubiquinol supplementation may greatly help to protect sperm health, as well as the health of all the cells that make up the reproductive organs, and the entire body.

Supplementing with Ubiquinol

The suggested daily dose of Ubiquinol for the average person is 100 mg per day. For those who are older, or suspect decreased levels of CoQ10 due to health issues, supplementation may be started at 200-300 mg per day for two weeks. After two weeks blood plasma levels plateau and dosage may be lowered to 100 mg per day, as maintenance.

Myo Inositol instead of Metformin

I take Myo inositol because it has been proven as effective or more effective than Metformin without the nasty side effects. 

Myo-inositol is a unique vitamin B-like substance that has become highly regarded as a novel way to help women with PCOS to conceive. It can also help to reduce miscarriage risks and to minimize the risks of severe ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS) in IVF/ART.
Thirty to forty percent of PCOS women have irregularities in their glucose/insulin control mechanisms which is where Myo-inositol works it's magic. Inositol is integral to properly functioning insulin-receptors and providing extra inositol seems to profoundly improve insulin levels and reduce the associated high androgen levels (testosterone and DHEA) without side-effects or toxicity.
Women with PCOS are known to have a defect in their insulin-signaling pathways which are heavily dependent upon inositol-containing substances (phosphoglycan mediators). Supplying extra myo-inositol appears to temporarily correct the mal-functioning insulin pathways and reduce the signs and symptoms of insulin resistance.
Also studies show (6) that high levels of myo-inositol within follicles may be a marker for good follicular development and good oocyte or egg quality.
In an Italian study in 2007 (1) researchers followed 25 women with oligo-amenorrhea (irregular menses) or amenorrhea (no menses) due to PCOS. Myo-inositol and folic acid were given daily as 'Inofolic' 2g twice a day for 6 months. Eighty eight percent of the women who were treated had at least one menstrual cycle, and of these, seventy two percent continued ovulating normally. Forty percent of the women became pregnant and the study concluded that: "Myo-inositol is a simple and safe treatment that is capable of restoring spontaneous ovarian activity and consequently fertility in most patients with PCOS. This therapy did not cause multiple pregnancy."
Another Italian study (2) in 2010 compared the effects of Myo-inositol or metformin in PCOS women and then compared these two treatments with the addition of gonadotrophin (r-FSH) for ovulation induction. One hundred and twenty patients took either 1500 mg/day of metformin or a combination of folic acid 400 mcg and Myo-inositol 4 g per day.
In the women that did not conceive a low dose of FSH (37.5 units/day) was added for up to three cycles. Of the women taking just metformin, fifty percent resumed ovulation and eighteen percent became pregnant. FSH treatment was administered to the 'metformin-only' women who did not conceive and a further twenty six percent conceived producing a total pregnancy rate of 36.6%.
Of the women taking myo-inositol and folic acid, sixty-five percent resumed ovulation and thirty percent conceived. FSH was administered to the myo-inositol women who did not conceive and a further twenty nine percent conceived producing a total pregnancy rate of 48.4%.
This study - which showed that myo-iositol can out-perform metformin - concluded that: "Both metformin and MYO, can be considered as first line treatment for restoring normal menstrual cycles in most patients with PCOS, even if MYO treatment seems to be more effective than metformin."
In yet another Italian study (3) in 2009, Myo-inositol (MYO) was studied as a novel solution to symptoms of PCOS such as hirsutism (excess body hair), acne and hair loss. Fifty PCOS women were give Myo-inositol for six months and after only three months levels of LH, testosterone and free testosterone and insulin were significantly reduced. At the end of the six months hirsutism and acne had decreased also and the study concluded that: "MYO administration is a simple and safe treatment that ameliorates the metabolic profile of patients with PCOS, reducing hirsutism and acne."
Back to Italy again, in 2008 Myo-inositol was studied (5) specifically with PCOS women who were overweight. Twenty overweight women with PCOS were treated and after 12 weeks of myo-inositol demonstrated that levels of LH, prolactin, testosterone, insulin, LH/FSH, insulin sensitivity and glucose-to-insulin ratios could change significantly. Menstrual cycles were restored in all the patients with irregular or no menstruation. The study concluded that:"Myo-inositol administration improves reproductive axis functioning in PCOS patients reducing the hyperinsulinemic state that affects LH secretion."
Lastly, a randomized double-blind trial (7) - the gold standard of research - gave 92 women either 400 mcg of folic acid as a placebo or 4 g myo-inositol plus 400 mcg folic acid as the treatment arm. They discovered likewise that ovulation significantly increased as did the frequency of normal progesterone values in the luteal phase and estradiol levels in the myo-inositol group.
This study noted less metabolic benefits to those women who were overweight but also that the myo-inositol group lost a significant amount of weight and had lowered leptin levels. The study concluded that: "These data support a beneficial effect of myo-inositol in women with oligomenorrhea and polycystic ovaries in improving ovarian function."

References:
(1) Gynecol Endocrinol 2007 Dec;23(12):700-3. Epub 2007 Oct 10. Myo-inositol in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a novel method for ovulation induction. Papaleo E, et al.
(2) Gynecol Endocrinol 2010 Apr;26(4):275-80. Insulin sensitiser agents alone and in co-treatment with r-FSH for ovulation induction in PCOS women. Raffone E, et al.
(3) Gynecol Endocrinol 2009 Aug;25(8):508-13. Efficacy of myo-inositol in the treatment of cutaneous disorders in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Zacche MM, et al.
(4) 2008 Mar;24(3):139-44. Myo-inositol administration positively affects hyperinsulinemia and hormonal parameters in overweight patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Genazzani AD, et al.
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2009 Dec;147(2):120-3. Epub 2009 Oct 2.
Contribution of myo-inositol to reproduction. Papaleo E et al. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2007 Sep-Oct;11(5):347-54.
Randomized, double blind placebo-controlled trial: effects of myo-inositol on ovarian function and metabolic factors in women with PCOS. Gerli S, et al. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences 2007; 11: 347-354

Original article is found here:  http://therotundaramblings.blogspot.com/2011/02/myo-inositol-helps-women-to-conceive.html