Vitamin B6 - Lengthen luteal phase or increase progesterone

[kpedtexas]

FX'd for all you vitamin B ladies! Here's hoping you get a BFP soon!


https://preg.fertilityfriend.com/pregticker/25f825/preg.png

 

[SonnyEm]

Many congrats Ryans Mum!!
Here's hoping for many more for us B-viters!!
Thought would pass on a comment from the assistant in the health food place as I was umming & erring over B50 standard or B50 time release. She recommended time release as it keeps it in your system for longer and releases over time. Did notice that my still amusing neon wee disappears throughout the day, wonder if it'll be all the time now!
fx for all our soon!

 

[chocolatecat]

hey girls,
So I was rummaging around on Pubmed today for info on LPD - there's a couple of scientific papers suggesting that Vitamin E can help (200mg 3 times a day), L-arginine can help and also perhaps vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Has anyone tried taking these? The studies only looked at them in isolation and not together, but I'm tempted to try Vitamin E and L-arginine. They're meant to improve blood flow in the corpus leutum.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[3xBlessed]

thanks sonnyem!!! baby dust to all!!!

 

[kpedtexas]

hello all! i just wanted to get your thoughts on this-- i've been taking vitamin b50 since cd10 and am currently 5 weeks pg. i just got my beta hcg taken on 21dpo and it was 2646-- but am wondering if i should increase my vitamin b-- would that help my hcg and/or my progesterone levels? thoughts?

 

[leelee]

Hi all,

Peardrop said I should post in here as there are so many knowledgeable people so here goes:

I am on CD4 and my temps are still way above the coverline. I am just wondering if there is anything I should be concerned about as my temp usually plummets either the day before or the day that AF arrives.

I did drink on Fri and Sat night but there is nothing I did that could have kept my temp high this morning.

AF arrived on Friday and the only different thing was that I started spotting on Wed night. I have never ever spotted. However, I had cramps and a flow as usual. I started taking B-50 complex this month to lengthen my LP and am just wondering if this could have anything to do with it?

One positive thing was that my LP lengthened by 1 day!!!
Any advice would be great. My chart is below.

 

[amerikiwi]

Hi all,

Peardrop said I should post in here as there are so many knowledgeable people so here goes:

I am on CD4 and my temps are still way above the coverline. I am just wondering if there is anything I should be concerned about as my temp usually plummets either the day before or the day that AF arrives.

I did drink on Fri and Sat night but there is nothing I did that could have kept my temp high this morning.

AF arrived on Friday and the only different thing was that I started spotting on Wed night. I have never ever spotted. However, I had cramps and a flow as usual. I started taking B-50 complex this month to lengthen my LP and am just wondering if this could have anything to do with it?

One positive thing was that my LP lengthened by 1 day!!!
Any advice would be great. My chart is below.

Hi Leelee!

When I started the Bs on CD1, my temps jumped up and stayed at post-O temps throughout my AF and a few days after. I think it was just the Bs doing their job and it worked out for me, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. If your temps don't fall you may want to take a test just to put your mind at rest, especially if AF was shorter or lighter than usual.

Hope you get your Vit-B BFP soon!!

 

[amerikiwi]

hello all! i just wanted to get your thoughts on this-- i've been taking vitamin b50 since cd10 and am currently 5 weeks pg. i just got my beta hcg taken on 21dpo and it was 2646-- but am wondering if i should increase my vitamin b-- would that help my hcg and/or my progesterone levels? thoughts?

Congratulations Kpedtexas! I'm not sure about whether increasing dosage would help or not. I'd talk to your doctor about changing anything once pregnant. I've just continued taking my b50s.

 

[leelee]

Hi all,

Peardrop said I should post in here as there are so many knowledgeable people so here goes:

I am on CD4 and my temps are still way above the coverline. I am just wondering if there is anything I should be concerned about as my temp usually plummets either the day before or the day that AF arrives.

I did drink on Fri and Sat night but there is nothing I did that could have kept my temp high this morning.

AF arrived on Friday and the only different thing was that I started spotting on Wed night. I have never ever spotted. However, I had cramps and a flow as usual. I started taking B-50 complex this month to lengthen my LP and am just wondering if this could have anything to do with it?

One positive thing was that my LP lengthened by 1 day!!!
Any advice would be great. My chart is below.

Hi Leelee!

When I started the Bs on CD1, my temps jumped up and stayed at post-O temps throughout my AF and a few days after. I think it was just the Bs doing their job and it worked out for me, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. If your temps don't fall you may want to take a test just to put your mind at rest, especially if AF was shorter or lighter than usual.

Hope you get your Vit-B BFP soon!!

Thanks Amerikiwi,

It's a relief to know that it happened to someone else as well. I think my temps were on the low side anyway so maybe the B-50's are making them go higher which is only a good thing (I hope!)

AF was different this month cos I got spotting beforehand (which I have never had) but it was quite heavy and I had my usual cramps so unfortunately I don't think it could be anything else. Nearly onto CD5 though so not too bad!

It is great so see you on the threads. How are you feeling?

 

[Peach Blossom]

Hey Leelee... I reckon its a mixture of weather getting a bit warmer and the vits. My temps are higher than they've been and I'm on all sorts of vitamins and supplements including Vit B-50 and Agnus Castus. Hoping that its a good sign for you and that the vits are working for you.

 

[leelee]

Hey Leelee... I reckon its a mixture of weather getting a bit warmer and the vits. My temps are higher than they've been and I'm on all sorts of vitamins and supplements including Vit B-50 and Agnus Castus. Hoping that its a good sign for you and that the vits are working for you.

Thanks PeachB,

How are you? I saw your post about the fertility consultant. If you don't mind me asking, have you found it useful?

 

[Peach Blossom]

Hey Leelee. I got referred to a specialist in Oct after we'd been ttc for 9 months. My GP was all doom and gloom telling me I had polycystic ovaries and that it was unlikely that I would concievd naturally. The specialist was a lot more positive and did a series of tests which showed my tubes were all clear and that I didn't have pcos... just polycystic ovaries. He prescribed my Clomid to try and regulate ovulation, but I got pg before I started to take them... sadly you know the rest of that story. I'm waiting to see if this cycle is successful before going back to him. But yes, I would say it was useful and definitely worth it!

 

[leelee]

Hey Leelee. I got referred to a specialist in Oct after we'd been ttc for 9 months. My GP was all doom and gloom telling me I had polycystic ovaries and that it was unlikely that I would concievd naturally. The specialist was a lot more positive and did a series of tests which showed my tubes were all clear and that I didn't have pcos... just polycystic ovaries. He prescribed my Clomid to try and regulate ovulation, but I got pg before I started to take them... sadly you know the rest of that story. I'm waiting to see if this cycle is successful before going back to him. But yes, I would say it was useful and definitely worth it!

Thanks PeachB,

I have only been trying for 2 cycles so will wait a while but am tempted to go to the Zita West clinic if I need to but it is quite expensive. I would pay it though if it meant I could be successful.

Really hope this is your cycle. You really deserve it.

 

[Peardrop]

Hi everyone - hope you are all OK. I wanted to ask if anyone else has experienced what I am:

I started on B50 at the end of cycle 2 and got a good 10 day LP for cycle 3 which was an improvement plus I thought the temp shift was a little more defined - temps before were more consistently low and after were higher. At the end of cycle 3 I upped to B100. I am now, hopefully, almost at ovulation on cycle 4 - CD16 (and CD18/19 were my ov days in the previous 2 cycles).

Since CD11 I have been getting what I can only describe as ovulation pain but since I've never had it before I'm not sure. It has been really strong piercing pains in my side (mainly left now but a bit on the right at the beginning) and is now quite a dull rumbling kind of a pain - a bit like a stitch is as it is going away - at first I thought, great, good sign I'm going to ovulate early but it's gone on for so many days now. Not worried about the pain itself, just what it means and whether it means good or bad things to ttc.

However, it now looks like I won't ovulate any earlier (although I thought my OPK's were heading towards positive for a couple of days but they are now negative again) which is frustrating but if my body is changing then I can wait.

Does what I am experiencing sound like ovulation pain? Has anyone else had this start whilst they are on Bvits where they didn't have it and now they do? I also feel PMSey which I normally don't prior to ovulation (but could be external stress as well). Anyone else felt this? Do you think my body was gearing up to ovulate early but hasn't managed hence the many days of 'pain'/OPK's etc

Also, my wee is neon all the time which is to be expected as I am weeing out a lot more of the vitamin than at B50 but could this amount distort the LH hormone when using OPK's? I definately haven't ov'ed yet but am clutching at 'OPK's' that I will ovulate earlier than last month but that I won't get the +OPK's x2 I usually get.

Sorry - long email but any thoughts, answers, similar experiences, I'd love to know.

 

[leelee]

Hi everyone - hope you are all OK. I wanted to ask if anyone else has experienced what I am:

I started on B50 at the end of cycle 2 and got a good 10 day LP for cycle 3 which was an improvement plus I thought the temp shift was a little more defined - temps before were more consistently low and after were higher. At the end of cycle 3 I upped to B100. I am now, hopefully, almost at ovulation on cycle 4 - CD16 (and CD18/19 were my ov days in the previous 2 cycles).

Since CD11 I have been getting what I can only describe as ovulation pain but since I've never had it before I'm not sure. It has been really strong piercing pains in my side (mainly left now but a bit on the right at the beginning) and is now quite a dull rumbling kind of a pain - a bit like a stitch is as it is going away - at first I thought, great, good sign I'm going to ovulate early but it's gone on for so many days now. Not worried about the pain itself, just what it means and whether it means good or bad things to ttc.

However, it now looks like I won't ovulate any earlier (although I thought my OPK's were heading towards positive for a couple of days but they are now negative again) which is frustrating but if my body is changing then I can wait.

Does what I am experiencing sound like ovulation pain? Has anyone else had this start whilst they are on Bvits where they didn't have it and now they do? I also feel PMSey which I normally don't prior to ovulation (but could be external stress as well). Anyone else felt this?

Also, my wee is neon all the time which is to be expected as I am weeing out a lot more of the vitamin than at B50 but could this amount distort the LH hormone when using OPK's? I definately haven't ov'ed yet but am clutching at 'OPK's' that I will ovulate earlier than last month but that I won't get the +OPK's x2 that I usually get.

Sorry - long email but any thoughts, answers, similar experiences, I'd love to know.

Hi Peardrop,

Sorry I don't know the answer to your question. I haven't felt any unusual pain around O but my wee is still neon and I have bee taking B-50 for around a month now. Hope someone comes back to you with an answer soon.

 

[Peardrop]

Chocolate Cat - I am reading one of the Zita West books on fertility so am looking into the other vitamins as she regarded them highly. Can you link a few of the articles you were looking at?

Leelee - see above - am impressed by her books. I'm definately putting her thinking into practice where I can as a lot of it is about lifestyle changes first which I can certainly do now.

 

[Peardrop]

Thanks Leelee - on B50 my wee would be neon immediately after taking the tablet but would go back to it's normal colour as the day went on. Now, on B100 it's neon pretty much all of the time!

 

[chocolatecat]

hey peardrop, here's the abstract:
Bear in mind this is a VERY small study and might not be regarded too highly by some doctors. But taking Vitamin E and or L - arginine shouldn't do any harm. I got both for about a tenner from Holland and Barrett.
Your LP might not lengthen but chances of pregnancy and progesterone levels might improve.
Good luck

Luteal blood flow and luteal function.
Takasaki A, Tamura H, Taniguchi K, Asada H, Taketani T, Matsuoka A, Yamagata Y, Shimamura K, Morioka H, Sugino N.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, 755-8505 Japan. [email protected].

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Blood flow in the corpus luteum (CL) is associated with luteal function. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether luteal function can be improved by increasing CL blood flow in women with luteal phase defect (LFD). METHODS: Blood flow impedance in the CL was measured by transvaginal color-pulsed-Doppler-ultrasonography and was expressed as a resistance index (RI). The patients with both LFD [serum progesterone (P) concentrations < 10 ng/ml during mid-luteal phase] and high CL-RI (>/= 0.51) were given vitamin-E (600 mg/day, n = 18), L-arginine (6 g/day, n = 14) as a potential nitric oxide donor, melatonin (3 mg/day, n = 13) as an antioxidant, or HCG (2,000 IU/day, n = 10) during the subsequent menstrual cycle. RESULTS: In the control group (n = 11), who received no medication to increase CL blood flow, only one patient (9%) improved in CL-RI and 2 patients (18%) improved in serum P. Vitamin-E improved CL-RI in 15 patients (83%) and improved serum P in 12 patients (67%). L-arginine improved CL-RI in all the patients (100%) and improved serum P in 10 patients (71%). HCG improved CL-RI in all the patients (100%) and improved serum P in 9 patients (90%). Melatonin had no significant effect. CONCLUSION: Vitamin-E or L-arginine treatment improved luteal function by decreasing CL blood flow impedance. CL blood flow is a critical factor for luteal function.

 

[chocolatecat]

This is another small study, but seems to support the above conclusions that L-arginine can help:

Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Fertilityblend: a nutritional supplement for improving fertility in women.
Westphal LM, Polan ML, Trant AS.

Department of Gynecology/Obstetrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.

PURPOSE: To determine the impact of nutritional supplementation on female fertility. METHODS: A double blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of FertilityBlend for Women, a proprietary nutritional supplement containing chasteberry, green tea, L-arginine, vitamins (including folate) and minerals, on progesterone level, basal body temperature, menstrual cycle length, pregnancy rate and side-effects. RESULTS: Ninety-three (93) women, aged 24-42 years, who had tried unsuccessfully to conceive for six to 36 months, completed the study. After three months, the FertilityBlend (FB) group (N = 53) demonstrated a trend toward increased mean mid-luteal progesterone (P(ml)), but among women with basal pretreatment P(ml) < 9 ng/ml, the increase in progesterone was highly significant. The average number of days with luteal-phase basal temperatures over 98 degrees F increased significantly in the FB group. Both short and long cycles (< 27 days or > 32 days pretreatment) were normalized in the FB group. The placebo group (N = 40) did not show any significant changes in these parameters. After three months, 14 of the 53 women in the FB group were pregnant (26%) compared to four of the 40 women in the placebo group (10%; p = 0.01). Three additional women conceived after six months on FB (32%). No significant side-effects were noted. CONCLUSION: Nutritional supplements could provide an alternative or adjunct to conventional fertility therapies.

 

[chocolatecat]

A final thing!! I'm not advocating fertility blend at all, just reporting that they have at least shown some results in a double blind trial, however one of the scientists involved in the trial has stock in the company and so has a vested interest in getting good results.
I'm not sure what teh price of FB is - but I'd hazard a guess that getting Vit E and L -arginine alone might be cheaper - plus you can chose a higher dose if you like (the dose in FB is much lower then in the other study).

BTW - I can't find any evidence of trials that show vitamin B6 improves fertility. That's not to say it doesn't, a lot of people on here swear by it, but with out a placebo controlled trial no one knows whether their LP would have improved without it.
It made no difference to mine. not that I'm bitter or anything just trying to find another solution!