Do Appetite Suppressants Affect Fertility? (let’s find out)
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This article will discuss the effect of diet supplements on the male/female reproductive system and fertility.
Appetite suppressants and fat burners are effective anti-obesity solutions but do these pharmacological mixtures interfere with your ability to grow your family and have babies?
Yes, appetite suppressants can affect fertility both in men and women. Stimulatory compounds may have degenerative effects on gonads, aka the reproductive organs, and can cause hormonal imbalance, which eventually impacts fecundity.
Next up in this article, I will talk about the effects of diet pills on male and female reproductive abilities. And see the impact of weight loss products on pregnant women and their children.
So, continue reading to find out all these science-backed details.
Do weight loss pills affect sperm count?
Yes, some ingredients in diet pills may negatively impact sperm production.
Here are some compounds that you should look out for when choosing weight loss supplements because they can reduce sperm production.
Topiramate
Topiramate is often included in diet pills because it improves fat metabolism and helps in quick weight loss. But these fat-burning benefits come with a risk of decreased reproductive potential in males.
Topiramate can affect testicular health, reducing both the number and the quality of sperms.
An endocrinal study investigating the effect of this compound on male fecundity also supports these suspicions.
Yohimbine
Yohimbine is an effective thermogenic biomolecule as it makes your body burn more fats by increasing adrenaline levels in the blood.
But if you use such stimulants for a long time, you may damage your nervous and hormonal systems.
Similar concerns were published in this research article. It reported degenerative effects of yohimbine on the testes and male accessory glands. Moreover, sperm concentration and motility were also reduced.
Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium)
Extracts of this south Asian citrus fruit have been used for infection treatment and weight loss for a long time. With a high content of Vitamin C, Citrus aurantium shows anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.
Although its anti-oxidant capacity improves sperm density, however, in the long run, it leads to a reduction in testosterone level and sperm quality, as inferred by this paper.
Do appetite suppressants affect fertility in women?
Yes, certain ingredients present in appetite suppressants also affect women’s fertility.
Some of these are listed below;
Topiramate
Along with males, Topiramate supplements also have negative offshoots for female reproductive systems. These effects are especially evident if you use this drug for a long time.
According to a study conducted in 2005, Topamax- a diet pill containing Topiramate decreased the ability of female Sprague-Dawley rats to conceive.
Although treatment for 4 weeks did not affect fertility a lot, the weight of ovaries and pregnancy rates visibly decreased in the rats exposed to the drug for 12 weeks.
Caffeine
It is the most famous nervous stimulator that boosts energy and triggers a fat breakdown. But many doubts also exist about its effects on fertility and pregnancy.
And there is scientific evidence that adds weight to those suspicions.
One such research shows that women who took one cup of coffee every day had a lesser chance of getting pregnant than women who didn’t consume caffeinated beverages.
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
Vitamin B1 is present in many weight loss formulations (usually as thiamine HCL) because it aids in the consumption of stored energy reservoirs of the body. Thus, you will lose weight faster if you use this vitamin.
But as thorns come with roses, there are side effects associated with thiamin too.
This article from The Journal of Nutrition shows that excessive usage of thiamin may result in female sterility.
Can fat burners affect your period?
Yes, these drugs can disturb the menstrual cycle by triggering the overproduction of stress hormones.
Most appetite suppressants have androgenic characteristics. So, they can spike up stress hormones like adrenaline or cortisol.
These hormones will trigger stress responses in the body, and many normal functions either slow down or stop completely.
The menstrual cycle is one of those physiological functions. That is why many women miss their periods or experience delays when they feel stressed out. Similar results are possible when you consume fat burners.
Moreover, fat burners cause fast consumption of fat deposits, and intensified fat loss can possibly affect the production of sex hormones because many of these are lipid-based compounds.
This article from Fertilitypedia states that lower intake and quick depletion of body reservoirs of fats will reduce levels of sex hormones and impair reproductive functions.
Do fat burners affect pregnancy?
Yes, weight loss supplements can cause health adversities in pregnant women.
That is why pregnant women are recommended to avoid weight loss supplements.
There is a risk of following health issues for a lady who uses diet pills while being pregnant;
Gestational Diabetes
It is reported that females who take appetite suppressants in the first trimester have an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes.
From research, we know that diabetes mellitus during gestation increases the risk of gluco-metabolic disturbances, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases in both the mother and the infant.
Such children have eight times more probability of diabetes type 2 in the upcoming years of life.
Miscarriages
Research also indicates that possibility of miscarriages increases if you use high amounts of caffeinated products. And caffeine intake of more than 300g/day is also associated with a higher risk of miscarriages or low birth weight during the pre-conception period.
Hence, it is suggested that couples who are planning to become parents soon should limit their caffeine intake and stick to no more than 1-2 cups of coffee per day.
Can diet pills affect early pregnancy?
Yes. Diet pills can cause developmental defects in the unborn child if her mother uses them in early pregnancy.
Prenatal exposure to such medicines puts the baby at risk of;
Neural tube defects
The stimulants in diet supplements can cause harm to the developing nervous system of the fetus, resulting in congenital disabilities and comorbidities.
For instance, this review paper concluded that weight loss products are associated with neural tube defects in infants.
Lip clefts
Weight loss ingredients like amphetamines and Topiramate, etc., also pose a risk of clefting in unborn babies.
The FDA suggests that potential mothers avoid diet pills like Qysmia because these are known to cause lip clefts and palate clefts in babies during the early stages of gestation.
Cephalic cysts
Usage of phentermine and related drugs during the gestation period increases the probability of prenatal stroke for the baby in the womb.
Such children, if born alive, may have nervous system abnormalities.
A healthy lady delivered a baby girl with porenecephalic bilateral cysts after taking phentermine in the first two trimesters of pregnancy. It is presumed that a fatal stroke might have been the reason behind this.
Got pregnant while taking phentermine: what should I do now?
You should stop taking it and consult your doctor right away.
Rest assured, no harmful effects are reported if a person quits phentermine suddenly, although adversities are seen with other supplements.
However, you should consult your physician as soon as possible to discuss this matter.
Does Phentermine affect ovulation?
No, phentermine does not seem to affect the ability to ovulate or conceive.
However, health officials recommend that you avoid such diet pills when trying to conceive because these drugs can harm your baby even before you become aware of your pregnancy.
Our favorite appetite suppressant – PhenQ
As anyone who has struggled with weight loss knows, it can be extremely difficult to keep cravings and hunger under control.
Oftentimes, the lure of sugary treats and fatty snacks is simply too much to resist, leading to serious setbacks in your weight loss progress.
However, there is a solution that truly tackles this problem at its roots: PhenQ. This powerful supplement uses scientifically-proven ingredients to effectively suppress appetite and cravings, keeping you focused and on track as you work toward your fitness goals.
Unlike much other weight loss aids, PhenQ comes with none of the side effects or fertility issues commonly associated with appetite suppressants.
So if you’re looking for a safe way to lose weight without sacrificing your health or vitality, look no further than PhenQ With this incredible tool at your disposal, you will be able to achieve your ideal body shape in no time.
And best of all?
The results are completely sustainable, so there’s no need to worry about dreaded yo-yo dieting or regain afterward.
How PhenQ Suppresses Your Appetite and Helps You Lose Weight
PhenQ contains a blend of natural ingredients that help to suppress your appetite, burn stored fat, and block new fat production. It also helps to increase your energy levels and improve your mood.
Phenq targets your weight loss in 5 different ways:
- Burn stored fat by boosting your body’s metabolic and thermogenic rates
- Suppress your appetite to eat less and cut calories
- Block fat production to stop unwanted and excess weight gain
- Improve your mood and energy levels for hassle-free weight loss
Another nice thing is that they offer discounts on your first purchase. For every two PhenQ appetite suppressants you buy, you get one free.
Conclusion
Being over-weight, you may have trouble having babies but using weight loss supplements is not a 100% safe solution either.
Therefore, I’d recommend you opt for more natural remedies for weight loss and stick to a calorie-restricted diet as recommended by qualified nutrition so that you only lose fat and do not weigh down on essential nutrients.
Such a healthy weight loss will, in turn, help you heaps in conceiving faster.
I hope this article helps clarify all your ambiguities related to the effects of appetite suppressants on fertility.
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