Do supplements really help fertility?

Good diet in crucial for fertility

It goes without saying that a healthy diet is crucial to a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby but many people are unaware that diet can help to correct hormone imbalances that may affect your ability to conceive. There are also certain foods and drinks that are known to lower fertility.

Some nutrients can increase your chances of fertility

Certain vitamins and minerals can increase your chances of getting and staying pregnant. In order to maximise your chances of conceiving it is very important that you and your partner are in optimum health. By eliminating nutritional deficiencies and improving sperm production and mobility you can dramatically increase your chances of getting pregnant. In order to do this it is essential that you are obtaining the right nutrients and in the right quantities to enhance your success.

Supplements are increasingly necessary to enhance fertility

Supplements are necessary because even the best diet in the world may not contain all the nutrients you need to give you the best chance of conceiving.

These days, specialist supplements are designed to promote the optimum nutrient position from which conception chances are improved and this applies both to the details and male partners.

The questions you might want to ask here are:

What nutrients ought to be included in such supplements?
Which are the best supplement available?

What nutrients ought to be included in fertility supplements?

Folic Acid

Folic acid can prevent spina bifida in your baby, and it is essential that you get plenty both before and during pregnancy. And that’s not all: folic acid is undoubtedly important, but it is just part of the very important B-complex family of vitamins that are necessary to produce the genetic materials DNA and RNA, not only of the egg but also the sperm. Together with vitamin B12, folic acid works to ensure that your baby’s genetic codes are intact. Remember: it’s not enough to take folic acid alone when you are trying to become pregnant. All of the B vitamins are essential during the pre-conceptual period. Research has shown that giving B6 to women who have trouble conceiving increases fertility and vitamin B12 has been found to improve low sperm counts.

Zinc

Zinc 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.

And it’s equally important for your partner: zinc is found in high concentrations in the sperm and is needed to make the outer layer and tail of the sperm and is, therefore, essential for the health of your partner’s sperm and, subsequently, your baby. Several studies have also shown that reducing zinc in a man’s diet will also reduce his sperm count.

Selenium

Selenium is an antioxidant that helps to protect your body from free radicals and 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.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

These essential fats have a profound effect on every system of the body, including the reproductive system and they are crucial for healthy hormone functioning. Omega 3 fatty acids also control inflammation which may interfere with getting and staying pregnant. For men essential fatty acid supplementation is crucial because the semen is rich in prostaglandins which are produced from these fats. Men with poor sperm quality, abnormal sperm, poor motility or low count, have inadequate levels of these beneficial prostaglandins.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant and has been shown to increase fertility when given to both men and women. Where men going for IVF treatment with their partners have been given vitamin E, fertilisation rates have increased from 19 to 29 percent. It has been suggested that the antioxidant activity of vitamin E might make the sperm more fertile.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, and enhances sperm quality, protecting sperm and the DNA within it from damage. Some research has indicated that certain types of DNA damage in the sperm can make it difficult to conceive in the first place, or it can cause an increased risk of miscarriage if conception does take place. If DNA is damaged, there may be problems in the baby. Whether or not DNA damage does have these effects has not been conclusively proven, but it’s worth taking vitamin C and the other antioxidants as a precautionary measure.

Vitamin C also appears to keep the sperm from clumping together, making them more motile.
One study has shown that women taking the drug clomiphene to stimulate ovulation will have a better chance of ovulating if vitamin C is taken alongside the drug. Clomiphene does not always work in every woman, but the chances are often increased when vitamin C is supplemented.

Beta-Carotene

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.

L-Arginine

This is an amino acid found in many foods and the head of the sperm contains an exceptional amount of this nutrient, which is essential for sperm production. Supplementing with L-arginine can help to increase both the sperm count and quality.

Note: People who have herpes attacks (either cold sores or genital herpes) should not supplement with L-arginine because it stimulates the virus.

L-Carnitine

This amino acid is essential for normal functioning of sperm cells. According to research, it appears that the higher the levels of L-Carnitine in the sperm cells, the better the sperm count and motility.

Which are the best supplement available to aid fertility?

There are two brands which we believe to be outstanding for fertility and they are produced by Viridian and Lamberts Healthcare.

Lamberts Strongstart For Women	Lamberts Strongstart For men
carefully balanced essential micronutrients designed to be taken before and during pregnancy.	Key nutrients such as zinc, B vitamins & Antioxidants that to ensure the man can achieve his optimum fertility.

Go to special men + women offer

Viridian Fertility For Women	Viridian Fertility For Men
Specifically designed to provide the maximise the vital to support a woman of reproductive age.	High potency formulation designed to maximise the vital nutrients required to  for male reproductive fertility.