Your ability to get pregnant--your fertility--depends on all of your body's systems functioning in a coordinated way. Good nutrition is essential to the process of ovulation, sperm production and conception. A healthy diet is the best way to get the nutrients your body needs for optimal fertility. But if you're too busy to eat right all the time, supplements can be a good back-up plan. Both herbal preparations and vitamin supplements may be recommended as either alternatives to or to complement fertility treatment.
Vitamins for Fertility
Research bears the importance of antioxidants to protect both egg and sperm cells, as well as boost your immune system to stay healthy in general. Preconception Weekly lists selenium, vitamins C and E and the B-complex vitamins as being particularly important to both male and female fertility. Zinc is also cited as important to the building of egg and sperm cells.
Vitamin Precautions
While some vitamins are relatively harmless in any dose, others can work against your healthiest intentions. Especially if you plan to create your own daily regimen from individual supplements, consult a physician or nutrition expert about which types and amounts of various vitamins and minerals are beneficial. Many women start taking a prenatal vitamin before they've conceived, which is generally safe. But if you're undergoing fertility treatment, be sure to clear even standard brands of multi-vitamins with your practitioners. Chances are good they won't be harmful to your health, but little is confirmed yet about vitamins' effectiveness for fertility.
Herbal Supplements for Fertility
Preconception Weekly lists a variety of herbs that are believed to be fertility boosters. Flaxseed oil, zinc picolinate and saw palmetto are suggested for men to improve sperm health and hormonal balance. The list for women includes black cohosh, dong quai, evening primrose oil, false unicorn, red raspberry leaf and chasteberry. It is important to note that, particularly for women, some herbals must be used at very specific time intervals or the risk for miscarriage may increase.
Herbal Precautions
The manufacture of herbal supplements is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so neither effectiveness nor safety have been firmly established for any herbal preparation, says Dr. Mary Gallenberg of the Mayo Clinic. Herbs and products made with herbs can interact with any medications you may be taking, including fertility drugs. The timing of herbals is important; for example, some preparations used to increase fertility can also cause miscarriage. The use of herbal supplements for fertility is safest when done under the supervision of a professional practitioner.
Studied Supplements
One of the problems with using herbal preparations and vitamins with the express purpose of boosting fertility is the limited amount of strong research that has been conducted. The Mayo Clinic lists L-carnitine, vitamins E and C, folic acid and coenzyme Q10 as supplements that have been studied. In each case, research conclusions are weak or contradictory. Still, some fertility experts--even those who practice conventional Western medicine--are becoming well-versed in the growing number of fertility supplements and which ones they believe will be benign at worst and possibly even helpful.
