Tier 3 — preclinical

Alpha-ketoglutarate supplementation ameliorates ovarian reserve and oocyte quality decline with aging in mice

Wang H, Xu J, Li H, Chen W, Zeng X, Sun Y, Yang Q
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 2023 571:111935

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 37098377
DOI
10.1016/j.mce.2023.111935
Funding
Supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2019YFA0110900) and Key Program for International Science and Technology Cooperation Projects of China (81820108016) to Yingpu Sun, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31970800) plus Funding for Scientific Research and Innovation Team of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (QNCXTD2023017) to Qingling Yang.
Competing interests
No commercial Ca-AKG product efficacy trial was conducted; consult the paper for complete disclosures.

Study snapshot

DesignControlled aging-mouse supplementation study with in-vivo and in-vitro oocyte experiments.
ModelAging female mice and post-ovulatory aging oocytes.
SampleMultiple mouse and oocyte cohorts; exact group sizes vary by experiment.
InterventionAlpha-ketoglutarate supplementation in aging mice; AKG also tested during post-ovulatory oocyte aging.
Duration4 months in the aging-mouse supplementation arm.
EndpointsOvarian reserve; Follicle number; Oocyte fragmentation; ROS; Spindle assembly; Mitochondrial membrane potential; Early embryonic development

What the study showed, in plain terms

This study provides an independent preclinical line of evidence on AKG and reproductive aging.

Four months of AKG supplementation increased follicle counts and improved several measures of oocyte quality in aging mice, including lower ROS and fewer abnormal spindles.

It strengthens the animal evidence but remains insufficient for claims that oral Ca-AKG improves ovarian reserve or fertility in women.

Key findings

  • AKG supplementation increased ovarian reserve markers in aging mice.
  • Oocyte fragmentation and ROS were reduced and spindle integrity improved.
  • Mitochondrial membrane potential and early embryonic development were improved in the experimental models.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Mouse study rather than human supplementation.
  • Oocyte-quality biomarkers are not equivalent to clinical fertility or live birth.
  • The paper does not test a commercial calcium-AKG formulation.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology