Nutrition and reproductive health go hand in hand. A healthy reproductive system is the place to start for optimizing your fertility. Research has determined that some of the things you love to eat or drink may impede your ability to get pregnant. Fortunately, nutrition scientists also make some dietary recommendations for the man or woman who wants to have a baby.
Women's Fertility
In 2007, a groundbreaking book was published that made some interesting claims about food and fertility. "The Fertility Diet" is based on a long-term study known as the Harvard Nurses' Health Study. In an interview for U.S. News & World Report, researcher Jorge Chavarro described an interesting result: Being overweight can negatively impact a woman's ability to conceive, yet a daily serving of full-fat dairy food increased study participants' odds of pregnancy. There's a caveat: the study findings have not been tested on infertile women, and the type of infertility measured -- ovulatory disorders -- is just one of many potential barriers to conception. Still, the findings were widely publicized, emphasizing the importance of learning more about nutrition's effects on fertility. In fact, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine -- a prominent national association of fertility professionals -- now has a Nutrition Special Interest Group with the mission of advancing understanding about nutrition's role in fertility.
Men's Fertility
Just as diet seems to impact a woman's ovulatory function, a man's sperm supply is affected by what he eats. Data from case-control studies published in 2009 and 2010 in "Fertility & Sterility," the journal of the ASRM, indicated men with lower intakes of antioxidants and higher intakes of meat products or milk were more likely to have poor semen quality. The Mayo Clinic pinpoints deficiencies in vitamin C, selenium, zinc and folate as contributing to male infertility.
Weight in Particular
Aside from specific cellular consequences of certain nutrients, overall body weight is linked to fertility for both men and women. Either too little or too much weight can create hormonal situations that impede fertility. Since BMI is a quick way of helping men or women gauge whether their weight is in a healthy range, the ASRM offers a Body Mass Index chart online.
Nutrients for Conception
The recommended diet for people trying to get pregnant is essentially the same as the suggestions for anyone who wants to be healthy and fit. Aside from the whole fat dairy recommendation for women, all other fats should be mono- or poly-unsaturated. Whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and non-red meats are emphasized. Of course, an abundance of fruits and vegetables is the best way to glean antioxidants and other vitamins. For women, folic acid and iron are recommended for their protective effects in the event of pregnancy.
Meal Ideas
No particular food or beverage can make you fertile, not even the aphrodisiacs of folklore. But bearing in mind the general nutritional recommendations, several authors have compiled recipes and menus that take much of what is known about fertility and nutrition into account. At Fertile Heart, Julia Indichova promotes soups featuring vitamin-rich vegetables and beans as a way to soothe the soul and digestive system. The authors of "The Fertile Kitchen," Cindy Bailey and Pierre Giauque, offer recipes that leave out sugar and wheat. The writers of Mighty Foods list recipe creations from a list of their favorite fertility-oriented bloggers, all of which take "The Fertility Diet" recommendations to heart.
References
- U.S. News & World Report: The Fertility Diet: Eat Right to Get Pregnant
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine: Weight and Fertility
- Fertility & Sterility: A low intake of antioxidant nutrients is associated with poor semen quality in patients attending fertility clinics.
- Fertility & Sterility: Food intake and its relationship with semen quality: a case-control study.
- Mayo Clinic: Male Infertility
- Mayo Clinic: Female Infertility
