Ep 137 CoQ10 and Fertility: What You Need for Egg and Sperm Health
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Release Date: 08/19/2025
Ep 161 Understanding Fertility Testing: A Step-by-Step Guide for Couples
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Are you starting to think about fertility testing? Have you been trying to conceive and wondering which tests actually matter? Or are you overwhelmed by conflicting advice and unsure where to begin? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine breaks down fertility testing with clarity, compassion, and evidence. Now you can move forward feeling informed instead of intimidated. Dr. Shahine covers the basics of fertility testing including the essentials of a thorough health history. She also explains how menstrual cycles, ovulation patterns, pain, PCOS, endometriosis,...
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Ep 160 Age, Fertility, and Pregnancy: What’s Possible and What’s Safe
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Can you really get pregnant after menopause? Why do celebrities seem to defy biology when it comes to age and fertility? And just because pregnancy is possible at later ages, is it actually safe? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine explores the questions so many people are quietly asking as they navigate fertility, aging, and family-building decisions. Dr. Shahine breaks down what the science actually says about age and fertility, including why it becomes harder to conceive with age, how eggs and sperm age differently, and what role options like IVF, egg freezing,...
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Ep 159 How Your Genetics Can Guide Your Nutrition with Dr. Steven Zeisel
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Could your DNA explain why one-size-fits-all nutrition advice doesn’t always work? Why do some people thrive on certain diets while others struggle, even when they’re “doing everything right”? What if your genetics could help guide smarter nutrition choices before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and across your entire lifespan? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine explores how genetics, nutrition, and reproductive health are deeply intertwined. She is joined by Dr. Steven Zeisel, a physician-scientist whose groundbreaking research helped redefine choline as an...
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Ep 158 How a C-section May Impact Your Future Fertility: What the Evidence Shows
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Have you had a C-section and now you’re wondering if it could affect future conception? Are you planning one and feeling unsure how it may influence your reproductive health? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine goes beyond headlines and reviews a landmark study to better understand how C-sections may impact future fertility, miscarriage rates, and pregnancy complications. This episode will arm you with three essential questions to ask your provider and help you make informed decisions and have empowered conversations, all grounded in clarity, not fear. In...
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Ep 157 Why Sleep Is the Most Powerful Health Habit You Can't Ignore with Dr. Meredith Broderick
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Are you exhausted but still can’t sleep through the night? Do you wake up feeling unrefreshed, foggy, or wired-tired no matter how early you go to bed? Could your sleep habits—or an undiagnosed sleep disorder—be quietly impacting your hormones, mental health, fertility, and long-term wellbeing? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine and her guest, Dr. Meredith Broderick, invite you to rethink everything you’ve been told about sleep and why “pushing through” exhaustion is not a badge of honor. Dr. Broderick shares how her own experience with sleep...
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Ep 156 The Fertility Reset: How You Can Eat, Exercise, and Maximize Your Reproductive Health for the New Year
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
How can you give yourself the best chance of conceiving in the year ahead? Which habits truly influence fertility? And when is it appropriate to seek additional support or consult a specialist? In this New Year episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine shares a practical and compassionate Fertility Reset—a clear roadmap for anyone preparing to conceive or looking for guidance after months of trying. She reviews the foundations of cycle tracking and timed intercourse, strategies for reducing harmful exposures, and lifestyle and nutrition changes that can support reproductive health....
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Ep 155 Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: Is IVF the right step for you?
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Is IVF the answer for recurrent pregnancy loss? Why would IVF with genetic testing of embryo be helpful for people that are ‘getting’ pregnant but can ‘stay’ pregnant? In this educational episode, Dr. Lora Shahine explains the complex relationship between IVF, genetics, and recurrent pregnancy loss. She reviews the science behind why chromosomal imbalances are one of the most common causes of first-trimester miscarriage and discusses how preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) may help select embryos with the highest chance of success for some patients. Through...
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Ep 154 Folic Acid vs. Folate: Why the Controversy? with Dr. Prati Sharma
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Are you confused about prenatal vitamins? Wondering whether folic acid or folate is best? And what about those MTHFR conversations on the internet? Should you be worried? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine is asking the questions so many people have but rarely get clear answers to. Her guest is fertility expert Dr. Prati Sharma who is here to address the fear, the science, and the nuance behind one of the most debated supplements in pregnancy health. Folate and folic acid may sound interchangeable, but as Dr. Shahine and Dr. Sharma explain, the topic gets...
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Ep 153 Holiday Shopping Guide Ideas from Dr. Lora Shahine
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
Have you ever wondered what meaningful, supportive gifts look like when someone you love is navigating infertility or a fertility journey? How can you shop with intention, without the toxins, overwhelm, or “one-size-fits-all” gifting? Ready to treat someone special (especially yourself)? In this episode of Brave and Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine invites you into holiday joy with courage, compassion, and thoughtful connection, all through the lens of reproductive health and emotional well-being. She is sharing a curated list of gift ideas specifically designed with the fertility...
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Ep 152 The Brains and Uterus Behind Shecanter: Erica Loring’s Bold Take on Women’s Health and Humor
Brave & Curious with Dr. Lora Shahine
What happens when chronic endometriosis meets fierce advocacy and a wicked sense of humor? What if your most painful experiences become the catalyst for empowering others? And how does a uterus-shaped wine decanter become a national conversation piece for women’s reproductive health? In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine chats with Erica Loring, the self-declared “brains and uterus behind Shecanter,” to talk about turning pain into purpose and stigma into laughter. Erica shares her deeply personal health journey, from fainting spells through high-school to...
info_outlineThinking about adding supplements to your fertility journey? A quick search online can leave you swimming in advice—or drowning. How do you know what really works and what’s just hype?
In this episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine takes a deep dive into one of the most talked-about fertility supplements: CoQ10. This naturally occurring antioxidant has been linked to improvements in egg quality and sperm health—but is it right for you?
Dr. Shahine breaks down what the research actually says, the potential benefits, and what risks to keep in mind.
In this episode, you’re getting clear, evidence-based insights that can help you have a more informed conversation with your healthcare provider—and decide if CoQ10 deserves a spot in your supplement lineup.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- [2:04] What is CoQ10?
- [3:41] How CoQ10 works
- [4:45] Possible side effects
- [5:47] Evidence of CoQ10 for female fertility
- [14:55] Evidence of CoQ10 for male factor
- [17:46] What Dr. Shahine tells her own patients about CoQ10
Resources mentioned:
Review article of nutrients for IVF, Hart et al. 2024 RBMO www.rbmojournal.com/action/showPdf?pii=S1472-6483%2823%2900869-6
Review article CoQ10 info, Rodriguez-Valera 2021 J Molecular Science www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/17/9541
CoQ10 levels decrease in levels with age, Ben-Meir et al. 2015 Fert Stert www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001502821500374X
Animal studies showing improved egg and embryo quality with CoQ10 supplementation journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.4137/CMRH.S14681
Randomized controlled trial CoQ10 aneuploidy rates in women doing IVF/ICSI, Bentov et al. 2014 Sage
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.4137/CMRH.S14681
Review article on antioxidants (including CoQ10) and male fertility, Kaltsas et al. Medicine 2023
www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/10/1769
Sperm motility improved in men given CoQ10, Balercia, G.2009 Fert Stert www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(08)00487-1/fulltext
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