Becoming a parent is not an easy thing to do, especially with infertility and other fertile issues being around the corner for some couples. Anyone who has struggled to conceive knows this and the good thing is that there is still hope.
But what are the treatment and lifestyle changes that you need to apply?
Below, we are going to list down some of the vitamins that will help you boost your fertility.
Vitamins And Minerals That Will Help Boost Your Fertility
- Vitamin B
B vitamins are known to promote good egg health and prevent ovulatory infertility, which means your sperm quality is going to become better.
According to a study in the Nurses Health Study, a large and long-running public health study, a higher intake of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12 were associated with a lower risk of ovulatory infertility.
Doctors also claim that low levels of vitamin B12 are more linked with female infertility. Not only that, but a 2015 study found that having a higher level of B12 and folate can enhance fertility in women that are undergoing infertility treatment.
2. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants that we humans can take. As we all know, or if you don’t you will now, it is capable of reducing cellular damage throughout the body and can increase iron absorption.
In a study that was carried out in 2016, taking Vitamin C along with Vitamin E can improve the number, mobility, and sometimes DNA integrity (in other words, quality) of sperm in men.
3. Calcium
A study that was carried out in 2019 found that calcium deficiency could be one of the reasons why men are infertile. The thing is, if you don’t have calcium in your body, a decent amount, the production of sperm in your body is going to be affected.
You can take orange juice, full-fat yogurt, milk, cheese, and other dairy foods. Also, green leafy vegetables – such as curly kale, okra can also help you a lot.
4. Vitamin D
A study that was carried out in 2019 shows that low levels of vitamin D in women with infertility due to PCOS. Remember, Vitamin D plays a huge role in male and female reproductive function.
Research also shows that a deficiency in this vitamin is also linked with infertility in both men and women.
5. Acetyl L-carnitine
Acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) is a form of amino acid L-carnitine (LC) that helps turn fat into energy. Most of the time, doctors suggest women take ALC and LC together to promote fertility in women.
Also, a study that was carried out in 2018 found that though LC has some benefits for female fertility, ALC has more powerful antioxidants. This means that they help slow down age-related changes in the reproductive system of women.
6. Coenzyme Q10
If you are trying IVF, increasing the amount of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in your bloodstream may have benefits for baby-making. Remember, your body already produces coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), however, if you want to increase your chances of getting pregnant, increasing it will help you.
A study that was carried out in 2018 found that pre-supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) improved ovarian response in women that are going through IVF.
Also, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation is capable of improving sperm concentration and motility in men with infertility problems.
7. Iron
If you have iron deficiency, ovulatory infertility can also become a barrier to your hopes of having a baby the natural way.
A study that was carried out in 2006 that included 18,000 women showed that supplementing with iron appeared to decrease the risk of ovulatory infertility.
If you know that you have an ovulatory disorder, talk with your doctor about how you can add iron into your diet or get supplements and tablets for iron so you can meet the daily iron needs of your body.
8. Omega-3s
Fatty fish and other dietary sources that have high amounts of omega-3s are associated with greater fertility in men and women. Though more research is needed for this one, however, doctors from all over the world know that this one is true.
So, if you want to make a baby but are not eating fish and other meaty products that contain omega-3s, talk with your doctor and start taking a supplement.
9. Selenium
Selenium is an element that doctors say is extremely vital to the health of us humans and can help us stay fertile.
This type of mineral plays a huge role in proper thyroid function, DNA Synthesis in the body, protection from oxidative stress, and reproduction. If your doctor told you to increase the selenium in your body, you need to take more whole grains and dairy products, including milk and yogurt, considering they are good sources of selenium. Also, Brazil nutstuna, halibut, sardines, ham, and shrimp contain high levels of selenium.
Having inadequate dietary intake of selenium-rich foods increased the risk of a luteal phase defect in women, said a study. Another study claims that men with reduced sperm motility found that supplementation with selenium significantly increased sperm count, motility, viability, and normal morphology.
10. Zinc
Zinc is another one that should be on your list.
Zinc is a mineral that can help your body have a proper cellular function, immunity, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. This means that it will help you out in staying fertile too.
Doctors claim that increasing zinc intake plays a huge role in healthy growth and development, from pregnancy through adulthood.
How can this help?
The thing is, Zinc is vital to male hormone health along with normal sperm development and maturation. Not only that but Zinc deficiency is highly linked with low sperm counts and hypogonadism.
11. Pycnogenol (Antioxidants)
Pycnogenol is a natural source of several antioxidants including proanthocyanidins, which are also found in wine, grapes, apples, cocoa, tea, nuts, and some berries. They are also found in berries, chocolate, green tea, and dark leafy vegetables.
Increasing their intake is important, considering that they slow the breakdown of nitric oxide and, in some situations, have even been shown to stimulate its production.
A study by Scott J. Roseff, M.D., and his colleagues at the West Essex Center for Advanced Reproductive Endocrinology in West Orange, N.J., asked four “subfertile” male patients to take daily supplements of Pycnogenol(R) brand French maritime pine bark extract for 3 months. After the course, the men had relatively high numbers of deformed sperm, as well as low sperm counts and activity, all of which could limit their ability to fertilize a woman’s egg.
In the study, Dr. Roseff said:
“Basically, the number of deformed sperm went down and the number of normal sperm went up after the men took Pycnogenol(R) supplements. The increase in morphologically (structurally) normal sperm is significant, although this is just a preliminary study. Pycnogenol(R) could enable some couples to forgo expensive in-vitro fertilization in favor of simpler and less expensive intrauterine insemination.”
Did we miss out on any vitamin above? Let us know what we missed out on by leaving a comment in the comments section below!
