Trimming waistline may lead to infertility

American researchers have discovered that high protein diet, like the Atkins, could prove harmful for women who are trying to conceive.

The research was carried out by a team led by Dr David Gardner, Scientific Director of the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Englewood, USA, reports timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

According to the wistv.com, the study in mice found that animals who ate a moderately high protein diet produced fewer embryos compared to the animals on a normal diet. And, the embryos produced by the high protein mice were less likely to develop. Researchers say it appears the extra protein disrupts genes linked to growth and development. They note that these early results suggest the possibility of a protein-infertility link in humans but say more studies are needed. The research was presented at the 20th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Berlin, Germany.