Real, Whole Foods First, Then Supplement As Needed

A healthy menstrual cycle sets the stage for a healthy pregnancy. It is a reflection of hormonal balance, adequate nutrient stores, egg quality, blood sugar balance, and much more. Even if you’re not trying to conceive (TTC) or pregnant it’s always a good move to optimize fertility and support hormone health as well as healthy menstrual cycles by taking a prenatal (higher doses of key nutrients) instead of a multivitamin.

9 Non-Negotiable Nutrients To Support Optimal Fertility

Optimizing these nutrients isn’t just about pregnancy, it’s about long-term health for both mom and baby. Prioritize nutrient density. Real, Whole foods first, supplements as needed. Real, whole foods are vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, fish and seafood, dairy products, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. Ideally the vegetables and fruits are in season, eaten soon after being harvested, and grown without the use of pesticides. Make sure to consume enough nutrient-dense foods to maintain optimal hormone production.

Top Nutrients To Support Fertility

1. Vitamin D: supports egg quality, implantation, and hormone balance: it’s found in fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), egg yolks from pasture-raised chickens, dairy and plant based milk, cod liver oil, and mushrooms.
2. Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA): reduce inflammation and support baby’s brain and eye development: it’s found in fatty fish (wild-caught salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies), chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts. DHA has been shown to improve egg quality, may delay ovarian aging, and significantly improves sperm motility.
3. Folate: crucial for DNA synthesis and preventing birth defects: it’s found in dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, swiss chard, lentils, avocados, asparagus, and citrus fruits.
4. Iron: needed for oxygen transport and ovulation: it’s found in heme-iron rich foods such as red meat, liver, oysters, clams, and mussels, in non-heme iron sources like lentil, spinach, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, tofu (pair with Vitamin C sources for better absorption.
5. Choline: critical for fetal brain development and reducing neural tube defects. Since the development of the neural tubes happens very early in pregnancy, nutrition optimization should begin in the preconception stage – in the months leading up to pregnancy similar to folate intake which both works synergistically for proper fetal development: it’s found in egg yolks from pasture-raised chickens, beef liver, chicken, fish (salmon/cod), and brussel sprouts. Choline is found in greatest concentrations in egg yolk and organ meats (liver) which are both high in cholesterol.
6. Zinc: improves egg quality, hormone balance, insulin regulation, production of thyroid hormones and melatonin: it’s found in oysters (highest source), red meat, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, and cashews. Certain shellfish are extremely high in zinc like oysters, clams, and mussels.
7. Iodine: supports thyroid health which is essential for fertility. It’s found in seaweed (kelp, nori, wakame), Cod, dairy products (yogurt, milk), eggs, and iodized salt.
8. Vitamin A: (in the most bioactive form is known as retinol) essential for ovarian hormone production (including estrogen and progesterone), egg maturation and quality, progesterone levels, and embryo development where it affects the development of the baby’s brain, eyes, thyroid, limbs, lungs, and immune system: it’s found in liver (beef, chicken), sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, and egg yolks from pasture-raised chickens. Retinol is found only in animal-sourced foods and in the highest concentrations in fatty animal foods like liver. Vitamin A is also essential for testosterone and sperm production.
9. Vitamin B12: supports ovulation, improves egg quality, facilitates implantation, supports healthy methylation, improves sperm quality specifically through increasing sperm count, enhancing sperm motility, and reducing sperm DNA damage: it’s found in shellfish (clams, oysters), liver (beef, chicken), fatty fish (salmon, trout), eggs from pasture-raised chickens, and fortified plant based foods like nutritional yeast, plant milks.

Factors Leading To Rising Infertility Rates

1. Poor nutrition (nutrient deficiencies)
2. Increased toxin exposure (pesticides for both men and women, EDC’s in personal care products, air quality, water quality, environmental toxins)
3. Poor overall sleep quality
4. Sedentary lifestyles (less movement)
5. Chronic stress

Recommended Supplements

Discuss supplements with your dietitian to determine which will be the best fit for you. Always consult your healthcare provider prior to beginning a new supplement. 

1. Wenatal Prenatal
2. Pure Encapsulations Prenatal
3. CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10)
4. Vitamin D3 + K2
5. Magnesium Glycinate: highly bioavailable form of magnesium
6. Zinc Bisglycinate: highly bioavailable form of zinc
7. B-Complex Vitamins (contains methylfolate)
8. Desiccated Grass-Fed Beef Liver

Nutrition Tips

1. Make sure to purchase supplements that contain methylfolate (L-5-MTHF or Metafolin®). It’s recommended to take methylfolate instead of folic acid for fertility since methylfolate is the active form of folate that the body can use directly which bypasses the need for conversion by the MTHFR gene enzyme. Many people have a genetic variant called MTHFR that makes it harder to convert folic acid into the active methylfolate.
2. Try and consume grass-fed and pasture-raised animals since tend to be exposed to fewer antibiotics, pesticides, and toxins which will lower your overall exposure.
3. Avoid processed vegetable oils or seed oils that are high in omega-6 fats: corn oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, canola oil, safflower oil, and cottonseed oil.
4. Under eating has a negative impact while trying to conceive and is a well known cause of hormonal imbalance (lowers estrogen & progesterone), can disrupt the process of implantation, and delays ovulation.
5. Aim for consuming unprocessed, low-glycemic carbohydrates.

Referrals

1. OB/GYN
2. Endocrinologist
3. Acupuncture