Natural Support for Fertility

Nutrition plays a key role in fertility. Eating a healthy, balanced diet and taking the proper supplements can improve fertility for both men and women.

Nutrition

Add

  • Fruits (especially berries) and vegetables

  • Use olive oil for cooking and salads.

  • Avocados and nuts are also good sources of monounsaturated fat. 

Avoid

  • Red meat

  • Trans fats

  • Alcohol

  • Drinking any alcohol at all can reduce your fertility by half.

  • Caffeine: There is evidence to show that caffeine, particularly in the form of coffee, decreases fertility. Drinking as little as one cup of coffee a day can halve your chances of conceiving and just two cups a day increases the risk of a miscarriage. Attempt to eliminate all caffeine-containing food and drinks for at least three months before trying to conceive. That includes colas, chocolate, black teas and coffee, among other things.

  • Xenoestrogens: Xenoestrogens are essentially environmental estrogens, coming from pesticides and the plastic industry. Eat as much organic produce as possible for the pre-conceptual period. Avoid plastics, parabens and pthalates.

  • Smoking: Smoking has been linked with infertility in women.

 Supplements

  •  Great quality prenatal vitamin

  •  Omega-3’s (fish oil): Increased consumption of Omega 3’s has been associated with improved embryo implantation 500 to 1000 mg daily

  • Take 800 – 1000  micrograms of folic acid; at least that amount is usually in all prenatal vitamins and multivitamins.

For women over age 37, add to the above

  • Increase antioxidants—500-1,000 mg vitamin C

  • 200 IU vitamin E (do not take vitamin E if you are taking baby aspirin)

  • Decaf green tea (1 cup per day)

  • CoEnzyme Q-10: This coenzyme is critical to cellular energy production. Studies have shown that this mitochondrial nutrient can reverse effects of aging on female eggs. Women, especially those 37 or older, should consider taking this supplement to improve egg quality. NOTE: This supplement should be discontinued once a positive pregnancy test is obtained. We recommend: Recommend: 600 mg daily

 Consider

  • Adding 1-2 gm of L-arginine if your protein intake is low.  L-arginine is essential to supplement if your protein intake is low, a possible concern for those with a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. People who have herpes attacks (either cold sores or genital herpes) should not supplement with L-arginine because it stimulates the virus Recommend 1000 to 2000 mg daily

  • Vitamin C: This antioxidant specifically acts to improve levels of nitric oxide, which translates into improved blood flow. Vitamin C has been known to worsen heartburn, so avoid taking it before bedtime. Recommend 500 mg daily.

  • Pycnogenol: It is generally recommended to increase your antioxidant intake through natural sources, such as pomegranate, blueberries, and dark leafy vegetables

  • Zinc: Zinc is the most widely studied nutrient in terms of fertility for both men and women. It is an essential component of genetic material and a zinc deficiency can cause chromosome changes in either you or our partner, leading to reduced fertility and an increased risk of miscarriage. Zinc is necessary for your body to ‘attract and hold’ (utilise efficiently) the reproductive hormones, estrogen and progesterone.

  • Selenium: Selenium is an antioxidant that helps to protect your body from highly reactive chemical fragments called free radicals. For this reason, selenium can prevent chromosome breakage, which is known to be a cause of birth defects and miscarriages. Good levels of selenium are also essential to maximise sperm formation. Blood selenium levels have been found to be lower in men with low sperm counts.

  • Beta-Carotene: This is the vegetable precursor to Vitamin A and is completely safe during pregnancy. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant which helps to protect egg and sperm DNA from damage by harmful free radicals which can affect the quality of both the egg and sperm. Free radicals are highly unstable and set off a process called oxidation which can have harmful effects on the every cell in the body. Beta- carotene will be contained in your multivitamin and mineral.

  • Magnesium: May help to alleviate stress.

  • Inositol: May help to improve egg quality.

 Summary Recommendations:

  • Prepare for pregnancy: Detox your body focus on nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management.

  • Begin prenatal vitamins well in advance of trying to conceive.

  • Check medications that you are on and optimize for pregnancy.

  • Check basic laboratory parameters, make sure that thyroid is checked.

  • Healthy, anti-inflammatory diet rich in fruits and vegetables, eating as organic as possible.

  • Supplement

    • A high quality prenatal containing adequate amounts of methylated folate

    • CoQ10

    • Inositol

    • Vitamin D

    • A good probiotic

    • Fish Oil

    • Magnesium