Antioxidants

anhelgri

10 Posts
Reply Posted on: Feb 27, 2012 at 2:30am
I have a question about antioxidants. I know that you among other RIs recommend them as they reduce damage from ROSs. I know another RI who is against taking them though as they seem to increase NK cell activity.

Here are some studies for example that I found on anti-oxidants increasing NK cell activity:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0531556599000091
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17143612

I just had a succsful IVF, and I'm still taking 1000mg vitamin E per day. Should I be worried? Vitamin E has been great for reducing inflammatory pain from endometriosis from me, so I'd like to believe that is has done more good than harm. I hope.

Dr. Braverman

2026 Posts
RE: Antioxidants Posted on: Feb 27, 2012 at 10:17am
The major benefit for the use of Vit E in infertility is for vasodilatation for those with lining issues. We do not prescribe it for its anti inflammatory effects. For this the flavanoids , pycnogenol, resveraratrol, grape seed extract are better.
there is evidence that vit E supplementation helps to recover NKcell function in immunocompromised patients, and has you have shown and in other articles this use of Vit E is being studied. With that said there is no evidence that its use early on in infertility treatments or in early pregnancy is going to cause any harm. At this point I would just stop it. Remember that NK cells in the abdominal cavity get deactivated by IL10 in patients with endometriosis so that may be where Vit E exerts its affect by helping the NK cells there to recover their function.
Braverman Medical Team
Braverman Reproductive Immunology P.C.

anhelgri

10 Posts
Reply RE: Antioxidants Posted on: Feb 27, 2012 at 11:28am
Thanks a lot for the fast reply! That is interesting about the endometriosis connection. It would explain the pain relief then.

anhelgri

10 Posts
Reply RE: Antioxidants Posted on: Feb 28, 2012 at 1:25am
I have yet another question. I came across this study:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.01957.x/full
which says that high dietary intake of vitamin E as an antioxidant significantly increases the risk of cogenital heart defects. Is that also true for someone like me who has too high inflammation, or only for those with normal levels of inflammation?

Dr. Braverman

2026 Posts
RE: Antioxidants Posted on: Feb 28, 2012 at 6:17am
The best thing to do is to stop the antioxidants once pregnant. You are dealing witha defect that is very rare so it is hard to generated studies that accurately define the risks, as we mentioned there will clearly be data on both sides of the fence regarding these topics. As we see so many patients on antioxidants and i myself see so few of these cases I would not be concerned, and again we just stop these medications once pregnancy is confirmed.
Braverman Medical Team
Braverman Reproductive Immunology P.C.