Vitamins are important for maintaining overall body function, including reproductive health. Research published by the Institute of Nutrition shows that vitamins may help improve fertility in both women and men. In some cases, a lack of certain vitamins in the diet can decrease the chance that a couple will be able to successfully conceive a child. Adding the right vitamins to the diet for both men and women can help to improve this rate. The right nutrients can help the body function to the best of its ability, including in conceiving a baby.
Vitamin A
Fertility expert Dr. Marilyn Glenville, Ph.D. notes that women who are trying to become pregnant are often mistakenly told not to take vitamin A due to some forms of this nutrients that can cause birth defects when taken in high doses. However, the vegetable form of vitamin A, which is called beta-carotene, is important for fertility in women and for a healthy pregnancy.
Vitamin B Complex
Fertility expert Dr. Glenville recommends that women who are hoping to conceive should take folic acid and vitamin B12 both before and during the pregnancy. Men should also take this vitamin as it helps to improve low sperm counts, which can cause infertility in males. In women, vitamin B12 reduces the risk of a spinal birth defect in the baby called spina bifida. Folic acid protects the DNA in both sperm in men and ova or eggs in women, increasing the chance for a successful pregnancy to occur.
Vitamin C
According to a study published by the Institute of Nutrition and conducted at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, a deficiency of vitamin C in the diet can cause infertility in men. This vitamin is a potent antioxidant that helps to protect sperm cells and increase the chance that conception will occur. It also improves the motility of the sperm by preventing the cells from sticking together. Men are advised to take 500mg of vitamin C, while women should take 1,000mg per day to improve fertility.
Vitamin E
Dr. Glenville recommends vitamin E for both women and their partners if they are trying to conceive a child. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that may help to increase fertility in men by almost 10 percent. Both men and women are advises to take a daily dose of 15mg of vitamin E.
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