What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin E For Infertility?

Vitamin E is often suggested to help combat fertility issues, particularly make infertility. Low levels of vitamin E have been associated with low fertility in men, the website Holistic Online reports. Little research exists to support the use of vitamin E and other supplements and herbs to improve fertility, however, MayoClinic.com notes. Consult your doctor before taking any kind of dietary supplement to self-treat any medical condition.

History

Animal research dating back to the 1920s found that a vitamin E deficiency in rats caused problems in their ability to reproduce. The name then given to vitamin E, tocopherol, reflects this finding, with "tocos" meaning "to give birth" in Greek, the journal "Orthopaedic Nursing" noted in 1996.

Vitamin E exists naturally in eight chemical forms, the National Institutes' of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements reports. Alpha- or a-tocopherol is the only one of these forms seen to meet the requirements of the human body.

Expert Insight

A study published in January 2011 in the "International Journal of General Medicine" found semen quality improved and sperm motility --- the ability of sperm to to reach and penetrate an egg --- improved in infertile men who took 400 international units of vitamin E and 200 micrograms of selenium daily for at least three months.

Lead researcher of the study was M.K. Moslemi of hte Highly Specialized Jihad Daneshgahi Infertility Center, Qom Branch (ACECR), Qom, Iran.

Considerations

While most research into vitamin E for reproductive health has been related to male infertility, it's also suggested to enhance female fertility. Vitamin E may help regulate the production of cervical mucus, which, Holistic Online explains, is essential to conception due to its ability to keep sperm alive for several days.

Recommendations/Precautions

Holistic Online recommends taking 400 IU of vitamin E twice daily for optimum reproductive health. The maximum tolerable daily dosing for supplementary alpha-tocopherol recommended by the U.S. Institute of Medicine is 1,500 IU.

Dietary sources of vitamin E include green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, eggs and wheat germ.

In rare cases, vitamin E supplementation has been associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, diarrhea, or flu-like symptoms, MayoClinic.com cautions.

Outlook

Conventional treatments for infertility, such as fertility drugs and in vitro fertilization, appear to be the best options until researchers more clearly define the risks and benefits of fertility herbs and supplements, MayoClinic.com reports.

Check with your doctor before taking any herbs or vitamins for fertility issues.