Exploring solutions for infertility
Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky has dedicated his career to investigating the therapeutic potential of nutritional supplements for those suffering from nerve and muscle disorders.
Now, with support from Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation, the award-winning neuromuscular and neurometabolic specialist will apply his knowledge of mitochondrial dysfunction to explore solutions for people with fertility challenges.
Tarnopolsky is the director of the Neuromuscular Clinic at Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) McMaster Children’s Hospital. He is one of four researchers honoured at the 2023 Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation Gala last month celebrating research and innovation at HHS. Each of the recipients — which also included Drs. Jason Roberts, Guillaume Paré and Peter Gross — received $40,000 to take their innovative commercialization research projects to the next level.
Developing multi-ingredient supplements for patients
Within every cell in the human body are structures called mitochondria that help generate energy. Mitochondrial dysfunction, which is at the heart of Tarnopolsky’s research, happens when the mitochondria don’t work as well as they should and do not provide adequate energy for the cells. It’s common in many conditions including muscle disorders, where Tarnopolsky’s medical specialty lies, but also occurs in common scenarios such as aging, obesity, diabetes and infertility.
I’ve actually put [my products] through the same rigorous clinical trial process in a manner similar to what is done with all prescription medications.”
Over the years, Tarnopolsky has done extensive research into various combinations of natural ingredients that can help improve cellular function, including analyzing how ingredients interact to find the right combination. He has described this as “a multi-ingredient supplement approach designed to target the final common pathways of cell pathology, focusing on mitochondrial dysfunction.”
Tarnopolsky was the first researcher to successfully show through clinical trials that a multi-ingredient supplement targeting cellular dysfunction could bring improvements for people with genetic mitochondrial diseases. He is now developing strategies for multi-ingredient supplements for other neuromuscular and neurometabolic disorders, fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetes and even muscle loss and cognitive impairments associated with aging.
“While there are many medications available, I wanted to find a scientifically validated and proven natural health alternatives with fewer risks of side effects,” says Tarnopolsky. “Many supplements are available, but there are very few with adequate research behind them to show that they improved mitochondrial dysfunction in humans.”
In combination with medical advised diet and exercise, one of Tarnopolsky’s multi-ingredient supplements has been found to lower body fat and improve fatty liver disease markers in men and women. His team has also followed up on previous research to show that another multi-ingredient supplement containing five specific ingredients improves muscle strength, mass and function in older adults.
“I look forward to seeing if this new multi-ingredient supplement can help those struggling with infertility.”
“There are other products on the shelves that claim to do the same thing, I’ve actually put mine through the same rigorous clinical trial process in a manner similar to what is done with all prescription medications,” he says.
A solution to infertility
Tarnopolsky’s research looking into other areas where mitochondrial dysfunction is present has expanded to include fertility, which the Foundation grant is supporting.
This study will examine a particular mitochondrial-targeted multi-ingredient supplement called the Fertility Enhancer. Tarnopolsky and his team aim to determine the impact of the Fertility Enhancer on sperm function in men in a clinical trial and fertility in aging females in a pre-clinical study.
“I look forward to seeing if this new multi-ingredient supplement can help those struggling with infertility.”
