DiseasesInfertility — can fasting succeed where medication has failed?
- Ewa Dąbrowska — Schorzenia i świadectwa
- Ewa Dąbrowska — Dieta warzywno owocowa
- Nutrition interventions in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review. · Eur J Nutr 2026
- Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Female Reproductive Function: A Review of Animal and Human Studies. · Curr Nutr Rep 2024
- The effects of time-restricted eating alone or in combination with probiotic supplementation in comparison with a calorie-restricted diet on endocrine and metabolic profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized clinical trial. · Diabetes Obes Metab 2024
- Adding a ketogenic dietary intervention to IVF treatment in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome improves implantation and pregnancy. · Reprod Toxicol 2023
- A randomized trial of the effects of two types of short-term hypocaloric diets on weight loss in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. · Fertil Steril 2004
Dr. Ewa Dąbrowska claims that a fruit-and-vegetable fast can support infertility treatment and restore fertility.
- For PCOS, it is said to reduce insulin resistance and support weight loss.
- For blocked fallopian tubes, it is said to trigger regenerative processes that, according to Dr. Dąbrowska, restore their openness and fertility.
- When treatment fails and the illness persists, Dr. Dąbrowska encourages people to follow a fruit-and-vegetable diet.
What the authors write
A fruit-and-vegetable fast is said to support the restoration of fertility and, for PCOS, reduce insulin resistance and support weight loss.
For blocked fallopian tubes, fasting is said to trigger regenerative processes that, according to Ewa Dąbrowska, restore their openness and fertility.
Fasting may also support infertility treatment.
When treatment fails and the illness persists, Ewa Dąbrowska generally encourages people to follow a fruit-and-vegetable diet.
Research from PubMed · Europe PMC
We selected 5 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.
Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 698.
The review indicates that various dietary interventions in women with PCOS often improve body weight, insulin sensitivity, and some reproductive measures, but it does not prove the effectiveness of Dr. Dąbrowska’s fast.
Aim of the study: This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the effects of various dietary interventions on anthropometric, metabolic, hormonal, inflammatory, and oxidative stress parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Results: A total of 38 studies were included, covering interventions such as calorie-restricted diets, low-glycemic index/load diets, ketogenic diets, intermittent fasting, dietary approaches to stop hypertension, Mediterranean-style, and other diets. Most dietary interventions demonstrated beneficial effects on body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference, as well as improvements in insulin sensitivity, reproductive hormone regulation, and menstrual regularity. However, findings related to lipid metabolism, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress outcomes were inconsistent. Current evidence indicates that dietary interventions are crucial in improving the management of metabolic, anthropometric, hormonal, and clinical outcomes in women with PCOS. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of dietary approaches, study designs, and outcome measures highlights the need for long-term randomized controlled trials to establish more conclusive recommendations.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
The review describes possible benefits of some fasting regimens for hormones and menstrual regularity, but stresses that the evidence does not allow firm conclusions about their effect on fertility.
Aim of the study: Intermittent fasting has gained significant attention, yet a comprehensive understanding of its impact on female reproductive health is lacking. This review aims to fill this gap by examining various intermittent fasting regimens and their effects on female reproductive function, along with potential mechanisms.
Results: In healthy non-overweight/obese or pregnant animal models, alternate-day fasting (ADF) and an 8-h time-restricted feeding (TRF) window may have adverse effects on reproductive function. However, these regimens show potential to mitigate negative consequences induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) or environmental exposure. A 10-h TRF demonstrates benefits in improving fertility in both normal-weight and HFD-fed animal models. In women with overweight/obesity or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the 5:2 diet and TRF significantly reduce the free androgen index while elevating sex hormone binding globulin, promising improvements in menstrual regulation. For pregnant Muslim women, available data do not strongly indicate adverse effects of Ramadan fasting on preterm delivery, but potential downsides to maternal weight gain, neonatal birthweight, and long-term offspring health need consideration.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
In a study of women with PCOS, time-restricted fasting did not significantly improve menstrual or hormonal outcomes more than a calorie-restricted diet.
Aim of the study: To assess the impact of intermittent fasting, with or without probiotic supplementation, versus a calorie-restricted diet on anthropometric measures, metabolic status and gonadal variables in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Results: A total of 90 individuals were included in the study, with a mean body weight of 81.4 kg, and a mean age of 30 years. Mean (standard deviation) weight loss was not different between the groups at week 8 (TRE + probiotic: -2.2 [1.6] kg vs. TRE + placebo: -2.9 [2.7] kg vs. DCR: -2.5 [1.7] kg). Results revealed that, while all three regimes led to reductions in body weight, body mass index, vascular risk indicators, hirsutism and acne scores, there were no statistically significant differences between the eTRE groups and the control group in terms of weight loss, or improvements in metabolic, menstrual and gonadal variables (P > .05). Additionally, combining probiotics with eTRE did not benefit hormonal and cardiometabolic factors (P > .05). The eTRE alone or eTRE plus probiotics did not result in significantly greater weight loss or improvements in metabolic, menstrual and gonadal variables compared with the standard three-meal DCR diet.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
In a small retrospective study of women with PCOS who had previously experienced unsuccessful IVF, a ketogenic diet was associated with higher implantation and clinical pregnancy rates, but did not change the number of oocytes or embryos; Dr. Dąbrowska’s fast was not studied.
Aim of the study: Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on a high-carbohydrate diet intrinsically suffer from exacerbated glucotoxicity, insulin resistance (IR), and infertility. Lowering the carbohydrate content has improved fertility in patients with IR and PCOS; however, the effects of a well-controlled ketogenic diet on IR and fertility in PCOS patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) have not been reported.
Results: 0 %), and ongoing pregnancy/live birth rates (66.7 vs. 0 %). Here, restriction in carbohydrate consumption in PCOS patients induced ketosis, improved key metabolic parameters, and decreased IR. Even though this did not affect oocyte or embryo quality or quantity, the subsequent IVF cycle significantly improved embryo implantation and pregnancy rates.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
In women with PCOS, both short-term low-calorie diets resulted in weight loss, with no significant difference between the high-protein and high-carbohydrate diets.
Aim of the study: We performed this study as a pilot experiment to investigate the short term effects of two diets of varying composition on weight loss as the primary outcome in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) seeking fertility.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
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