A 2025 study showed that supplement use is widespread among IVF patients, with mixed impressions, limited evidence, and frequent confusion that leads many people to seek guidance from online communities rather than from clinical recommendations.
Egg supplements
A new study performed an “umbrella review” on the use of supplements for improving female infertility, finding that while studies show improvements in pregnancy outcomes, the quality of the data is low and “insufficient to recommend nutrient supplementation.”
A 2024 meta-analysis combined the results of 38 studies investigating treatments for diminished ovarian reserve patients. DHEA, testosterone, high-dose gonadotropins and delayed start protocols all improved the number of eggs retrieved.
A 2024 meta-analysis combined the results of 20 studies, showing that supplements improved IVF outcomes in women with ovarian aging, especially CoQ10.
The egg cell contains a high number of mitochondria, which are tiny cellular organs that produce energy that the egg needs to power fertilization and embryo development. Research has shown that these mitochondria can become dysfunctional with age, leading to reduced energy availability for the egg that could result in poor egg quality. Different treatments that target mitochondria, like antioxidant supplements or mitochondrial donation, may improve egg quality, although good quality research is lacking that shows these treatments are truly effective.
Researchers in a 2023 study review the use of 27 IVF add-ons and provide recommendations by ESHRE, with only several that are recommended or could be considered for the general infertility population.
This post discusses the use of supplements to improve egg quality for IVF success, exploring the supporting evidence for a range of supplements like N-acetyl-cysteine, Melatonin, L-arginine, Myo-inositol, CoQ10, L-carnitine, DHEA, folic acid/folate, and vitamins E, C, D, and B.