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Physiology and Biochemistry

Pathophysiology of obesity-related infertility and its prevention and treatment by potential phytotherapeutics

International Journal of Obesity volume 48, pages 147–165 (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background

Obesity is a complex multifactorial disease in which the accumulation of excess body fat has adverse health effects, as it can increase the risk of several problems, including infertility, in both men and women. Obesity and infertility have risen together in recent years. Against this background, the present review aims to highlight the impact of obesity on infertility and the underlying pathophysiology of obesity-related infertility (ORI) in men and women, and to provide readers with knowledge of current trends in the effective development of phytotherapeutics for its treatment.

Methods

We thoroughly searched in PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar to find all relevant papers on ORI and the therapeutic effects of phytotherapeutics on ORI in men and women.

Results

The extensive search of the available literature revealed that obesity affects reproductive function through several complex mechanisms such as hyperlipidaemia, hyperinsulinaemia, hyperandrogenism, increased body mass index, disruption of the hormonal milieu, systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, alterations in epigenetics and dysbiosis. On the other hand, several studies reported that phytotherapeutics has a broad therapeutic spectrum of action by improving sex hormone homeostasis, ovarian dysfunction, menstrual cycle and inhibiting ovarian hyperplasia, as well as down-regulating ovarian apoptosis, inflammation and oxidative stress, and controlling metabolic dysfunction in obese women. Male infertility is also addressed by phytotherapeutics by suppressing lipogenesis, increasing testosterone, 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD levels, improving sperm parameters and attenuating testicular dyslipidaemia, oxidative stress, inflammation and germ cell apoptosis.

Conclusions

In the present review, we discussed the effects of obesity on reproductive dysfunction in men and women and the underlying pathophysiology of ORI. In addition, the therapeutic effect of phytotherapeutics against ORI was highlighted.

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Fig. 1: The flow of information through the different stages of the review.
Fig. 2: Obesity-related pathophysiology of infertility in both sexes.
Fig. 3: Pathophysiological side effects associated with ORI in both sexes.
Fig. 4: Possible treatment mechanisms of phytotherapeutics against ORI.

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Acknowledgements

The management of K.S. Rangasamy College of Arts and Science (Autonomous), Tiruchengode, Namakkal District, Tamilnadu, and India-637215 is acknowledged by the authors for its ongoing support and provision of the facilities required for doing research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, K.S. Rangasamy College of Arts and Science (Autonomous), Tiruchengode, Namakkal District, 637215, Tamilnadu, India

    V. V. Sathibabu Uddandrao, P. Chandrasekaran & G. Saravanan

  2. Department of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research (ICMR-NARFBR), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500078, India

    Parim Brahma Naidu

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VVSU: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Writing - original draft and Writing – review & editing. PBN: Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation and Methodology. PC: Data curation and Formal analysis. GS: Formal analysis and Writing – review & editing.

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Uddandrao, V.V.S., Brahma Naidu, P., Chandrasekaran, P. et al. Pathophysiology of obesity-related infertility and its prevention and treatment by potential phytotherapeutics. Int J Obes 48, 147–165 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-023-01411-4

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