New York, NY – The intricate connection between mitochondrial health and egg quality is gaining significant attention in the field of reproductive science, with experts highlighting its crucial role in female fertility. A recent tweet by Preethi Kasireddy, co-founder of the fertility company Ferta, underscored this relationship, stating, > "Your ovaries and your mitochondria are deeply connected. Egg quality = mitochondrial health." This assertion aligns with growing research emphasizing the mitochondria as the primary energy source for egg cells, essential for their maturation, fertilization, and early embryonic development.
Kasireddy, a software engineer and entrepreneur with a background spanning Goldman Sachs, Andreessen Horowitz, and Coinbase, co-founded Ferta to offer a holistic approach to fertility, focusing on root causes rather than just symptoms. Ferta's mission is to "revolutionise fertility care" by integrating cutting-edge science with functional medicine to address hormonal imbalances and metabolic health. This approach directly supports the principles outlined in Kasireddy's tweet.
The tweet further elaborated on the factors influencing mitochondrial health, listing: "Blood sugar not being erratic," "Getting tons of nutrients, minerals and antioxidants," "Keeping inflammation down," "Having high stress resilience," and "Not burdening your liver with toxins." Scientific studies corroborate these claims, indicating that erratic blood sugar levels, often associated with insulin resistance, can negatively impact egg quality and reduce conception rates. Research shows that high sugar intake can damage egg and sperm quality.
Adequate nutrition, including essential nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants like CoQ10, is vital for supporting mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress within egg cells. Chronic inflammation and high stress levels can also compromise mitochondrial integrity, leading to diminished egg quality and fertility challenges. The liver's role in detoxification is crucial, as a burdened liver can lead to an accumulation of toxins that may indirectly affect cellular health, including that of mitochondria.
The scientific community recognizes mitochondria as critical indicators of oocyte quality. Dysfunction in these cellular powerhouses is linked to issues such as poor egg quality, reduced fertilization rates, and increased miscarriage risk. As such, optimizing mitochondrial health through lifestyle and nutritional interventions is increasingly viewed as a promising avenue for improving fertility outcomes.