Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Obesity, a widespread health concern, is often tied to negative reproductive health in women (e.g. irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, gestational diabetes). Obesity is correlated with an overproduction of insulin, hyperinsulinemia, often because of a poor diet and lack of exercise. Insulin, a hormone crucial for regulating blood sugar, has been demonstrated to accelerate the decline in fertility with age, reproductive aging. While lifelong prevention of high insulin levels has shown increased fertility in animal studies, it remains unclear if reversing hyperinsulinemia in adulthood can still improve reproductive health. The proposed study aims to explain the effects of reducing insulin levels in adult females in slowing the decline of reproductive function. Using a mouse model, mice will be induced with a reduction in insulin production, with others as controls. All mice will be divided into two groups based on diet: one fed a standard diet and the other a high-fat, high-sugar diet to induce obesity. To assess mice metabolic health, body weight and insulin levels will be assessed. To assess reproductive health, hormone levels, reproductive cycles, fertility, and pregnancy outcomes will be monitored. The effects of lowering insulin levels in adulthood will shed light on how combatting hyperinsulinemia may improve fertility and reduce pregnancy complications, even after lifelong exposure to an obesity-inducing diet. As the age at childbirth continues to arise in Canada, this proposed work will elucidate the impacts of a reduction of hyperinsulinemia on female reproductive aging.