Having and nurturing a baby is one of the most joyous parts of a woman’s life, but for some women, getting pregnant can be a serious challenge and a source of frustration.  From a nutritional point of view there are many things that can be done to optimize a woman’s fertility.

Infertility is the inability to conceive after one year of regular intercourse without using contraception.  It occurs in 15% of all couples and the rate increases when women reach age 35.  It is not uncommon for several problems to contribute to infertility.  On the other hand, in 20% of couples nothing that inhibits conception can be found. 

In women there are many different causes of infertility including sperm allergies, ovarian failure, endometriosis, pituitary gland failure, complications from pelvic infections or surgery, after-effects of oral or injected contraceptives, excess physical activity, malnutrition, extreme weight changes, severe stress or exposure to toxins.

Firstly, make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients that you need.  A good way of doing this is to take a complete multivitamin especially for women;  they will usually have higher levels of nutrients important for fertility, including B vitamins, Iron, vitamin E, minerals, and also herbs to support fertility. You could also consider a green food supplement.  They contain a full complex of nutrients, antioxidants, and cleansing herbs in a form that’s very easy to absorb.

Secondly, balancing hormones is crucial to maintaining optimum fertility.  You can help your body maintain healthy hormone levels in a few different ways.  Taking a complete 3-6-9 essential fat supplement helps your body produce progesterone, which is essential for egg production.  It can also help balance out excess estrogen levels.

Taking a complete fibre supplement with supporting herbs can help to relieve the build up of accumulated waste matter.  You might also consider taking a supplement like glutamine to enhance the strength of then colon wall.  If you have been experiencing constipation on a fairly regular basis, then this may be a factor for you.

There are many natural therapies that can be used to increase and maintain fertility including:

·  Fertility awareness techniques to teach a woman when pregnancy is most likely to occur.

·  Dietary changes that optimize levels of nutrients found in the ovaries and follicle.

·  Nutritional supplements and herbal products that increase levels of sex hormones in the body.

Fertility awareness techniques can include observing  cervical changes and basal body temperature.  There is also currently available a testing kit that uses saliva to monitor peak fertility periods.  These techniques may be learned as a fertility method such as Justisse or Rhythm method.  The following chart gives examples of nutrients and supplements that support the ovaries and sex hormones.

Lifestyle changes for infertility include regular exercise and using stress reduction techniques.  Women should avoid douching and using vaginal lubricants.  Women should also chart their cycles to understand when they are fertile.  Men should have sex no more than every two days to allow the sperm time to replenish themselves.  They should also avoid hot tubs, saunas and tight underwear because they increase testicular temperature.  Several prescription and nonprescription drugs can decrease sperm count including acid inhibitors, and harmful illicit drugs like marijuana.

Dietary considerations for infertility involve eating a healthy, balanced diet. Be sure to eat enough calories, for your body size, and protein because malnourishment decreases fertility.  Include pumpkin seeds for essential fatty acids and zinc.  Eat leafy green vegetables and wheat germ for vitamin E.  Use royal jelly or bee pollen for nutrients to support the reproductive organs.  Avoid alcohol, tobacco, animal fats, fried foods, junk foods, sugar, coffee, tea, colas and chocolate.

The following list of supplements can be used for female infertility.  Once pregnancy occurs revise your supplement protocol. (CLICK SUPPLEMENT NAME FOR PRODUCTS).

MALE INFERTILITY

Infertility in men is usually experienced as low sperm count or low motility (sperm activity).  Many factors can contribute to either of these.  Nutritionally, a deficiency in the mineral zinc can leave sperm counts lower than normal.  Since it can be difficult to get from food these days (due to soil depletion) taking a supplement for most men is a good idea. It can also help to prevent prostate conditions.  In addition, zinc is needed by the prostate to make the seminal fluid which transports the sperm during ejaculation.  This can often pose as much of a challenge for a man’s fertility as low sperm count.   Take the amino acid arginine – it is necessary for the production of healthy sperm cells, maintaining sperm motility, and for the production of semen.  It can also help to optimize testosterone production. 

Hormonal fluctuations in men may also have an impact on fertility.  Pollutants from the environment – especially those from plastics and petrochemicals, can have an estrogen like effect in the body.  These estrogen analogs antagonize testosterone, reducing it’s potency.  This can have both an effect on fertility as well as sexual desire and function.  Use the nutritional supplement D-glucarate to help your liver break down these harmful pollutants - you can also use milk thistle and alpha lipoic acid.   Do regular cleansing, as these substances can also increase your risk of cancer.  For more information about how you can detoxify your body, please click here to view our article in the detox section.

Other causes of male infertility are undescended testes, infectious diseases, environmental toxins, smoking, drug use, frequent intercourse, impotence, prolonged exposure to heat in the genital area, tight underwear, stress or poor diet.  

The following list of supplements can be used for male infertility.  Use supplements for three months to allow enough time for sperm formation.  (Click supplement name for products.)