Astaxanthin and egg maturity in women with PCOS during fertility treatment
What it found
In women with PCOS having fertility treatment, astaxanthin led to a higher rate of mature eggs and lower inflammation markers.
The trial was too small to show whether it reduced the risk of ovarian overstimulation.
What they found
Studies in people
Egg maturity improved
Women taking astaxanthin had a higher rate of mature eggs compared to those on placebo. About 71.52% of eggs were mature in the astaxanthin group versus 61.17% in the placebo group.
Lower inflammation marker IL-6
Fluid collected from the ovaries showed lower levels of an inflammation marker called IL-6 in women who took astaxanthin. This difference was clear enough to be unlikely due to chance.
Reduced RAGE activity in cells
Ovarian cells from the astaxanthin group showed less activity in a receptor pathway called RAGE. A related inflammation switch inside the cells was also turned down significantly.
Overstimulation rates similar
Slightly fewer women in the astaxanthin group developed ovarian overstimulation (55.5%) compared to the placebo group (68.4%). However, this difference was small enough that it could have happened by chance.
Hormone levels slightly lower
On the day of the final fertility injection, estradiol and progesterone levels were somewhat lower in the astaxanthin group. These differences were not large enough to rule out chance.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest astaxanthin may help eggs mature better and lower inflammation during fertility treatment in women at high risk of ovarian overstimulation.
- They note the trial was too small to prove these benefits definitively and call for larger studies to confirm the findings.
How it was done
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome often face a high risk of their ovaries overreacting during fertility treatments. The authors wanted to see if astaxanthin could calm the inflammation linked to this problem while still helping eggs mature.
The researchers randomly assigned 44 women with polycystic ovary syndrome to take either 12 mg of astaxanthin daily or a placebo for six weeks during fertility treatment. Thirty-seven women completed the study. They measured egg maturity, hormone levels, and inflammation markers in cells and fluid taken from the ovaries.
What it can’t tell you
- This trial only included women with polycystic ovary syndrome at high risk of ovarian overstimulation, so the results may not apply to other people taking astaxanthin.
- Because the study was small, it cannot firmly prove that astaxanthin prevents ovarian overstimulation.
- The researchers did not track whether the women became pregnant, so the effect on actual pregnancy outcomes remains unknown.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
- Authors work at
- Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
The paper
- Title
- Exploratory pilot trial of astaxanthin supplementation in PCOS patients at risk of OHSS with focus on RAGE-NFκB pathway
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Maleki-Hajiagha A, Aleyasin A, Amidi F (2026). Exploratory pilot trial of astaxanthin supplementation in PCOS patients at risk of OHSS with focus on RAGE-NFκB pathway. Scientific reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-026-36449-7Free full textPubMed 41673418DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error