{"id":12130,"date":"2022-07-29T19:49:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T19:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/?p=12130"},"modified":"2023-06-14T13:07:42","modified_gmt":"2023-06-14T13:07:42","slug":"fertility-supplements-to-take-when-trying-to-conceive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/resources\/fertility-supplements-to-take-when-trying-to-conceive\/","title":{"rendered":"Fertility supplements to take when trying to conceive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Following a healthy diet<\/a>, abstaining from alcohol<\/a> and smoking<\/a>, and even getting enough sleep<\/a> are important lifestyle habits that support fertility \u2014 whether you have ovaries or testicles. The same could be said for taking fertility supplements. Although the male and female reproductive systems have different roles when it comes to trying to conceive, there are certain supplements that can benefit both partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From CoQ10 to vitamin D and folate, let\u2019s explore the best fertility supplements for men and women, how they work, and when to start taking them to increase your chances of conceiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following guide is written generally for cisgender, heterosexual couples. However, families come in many forms and Legacy supports them all. Learn more about <\/em>LGBTQ fertility options<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CoQ10<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10<\/a>, ubiquinone, and ubiquinol, is a powerful antioxidant that supports the growth and maintenance of cells. CoQ10 also plays a significant role in both male and female fertility, potentially improving semen parameters and<\/em> egg quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it is produced naturally in the body, levels of CoQ10 decrease with age<\/a>, making supplementation beneficial for couples trying to conceive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How CoQ10 benefits male fertility <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As an antioxidant, CoQ10 may improve male fertility by reducing oxidative stress on sperm cells. Oxidative stress is damage that occurs to cells when levels of free radicals, harmful byproducts of body metabolism, are too high. It is estimated that 30\u201380%<\/a> of male infertility cases may be due to oxidative damage to the sperm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to improving sperm motility<\/a> and morphology<\/a>, which refers to the movement and shape of sperm, supplementing with CoQ10 has also been shown to increase sperm concentration<\/a> (how many sperm are in the semen). Research<\/a> published in International Urology and Nephrology<\/em> shows that this improvement in sperm quality resulted in increased rates of pregnancy and live births.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How CoQ10 benefits female fertility <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Research<\/a> shows that oxidative stress may also be detrimental to the female reproductive system, damaging oocytes, or developing eggs, and impairing their fertilization capacity. Oxidative stress may also contribute to embryo fragmentation (an uneven division of cells in the embryo) and the formation of developmental abnormalities, potentially contributing to spontaneous and recurrent miscarriages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2018 study<\/a> shows that supplementing with CoQ10 may improve ovarian response and embryo quality in women with poor ovarian reserve (few eggs). Women who took CoQ10 before IVF treatment had an increased number of retrieved oocytes, higher fertilization rates, and higher quality embryos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CoQ10 isn\u2019t typically included in prenatal vitamins, so additional supplementation may be helpful, especially for older women and those with lower ovarian reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vitamin D<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes referred to as the \u201csunshine vitamin,\u201d vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin mostly acquired from sun exposure. Vitamin D acts as a steroid hormone and plays a role in helping the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, which are both crucial for building bone. Vitamin D also plays a critical role in reproduction, helping to promote healthy pregnancy, better quality semen, and higher IVF success rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since very few foods contain vitamin D, humans must rely primarily on the sun, or supplements, to manage their levels of this key nutrient. When exposed to the sun, our skin synthesizes cholesterol into vitamin D. But since the majority of our modern lives are spent indoors, most humans are vitamin D-deficient, making supplementation important.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How vitamin D benefits male fertility <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Several studies have linked vitamin D deficiency with lower semen parameters and impaired fertility. One 2011 animal study<\/a> found that vitamin D-deficient rodents had poorer sperm motility and lower sperm counts than rodents with healthy vitamin D levels. A 2016 human study<\/a> supported these findings, showing a correlation between vitamin D deficiency in men and impaired sperm motility, as well as with poor hormone profiles for fertility<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later experiments<\/a> suggested that vitamin D supplementation has a positive effect on semen quality by directly affecting the way calcium moves between cells, along with the activation of molecular pathways involved in sperm motility and sperm capacitation (the sperm\u2019s ability to fertilize an egg).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How vitamin D benefits female fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is a widespread distribution of vitamin D receptors in the female reproductive tract, including the ovaries, fallopian tube, vagina, and placenta of both humans and animals, which confirms<\/a> the direct role of vitamin D in these organs. Studies<\/a> show that vitamin D isn\u2019t only correlated with positive effects on female fertility; it also may impact pregnancy and lactation, making a case for supplementation before, during, and after giving birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In one 2018 study<\/a>, researchers found that women who had healthy levels of vitamin D had more live births and more positive pregnancy tests after fertility treatment, compared to vitamin D-deficient women. In another study<\/a>, vitamin D-deficiency was associated with higher miscarriage rates, while higher vitamin D levels correlated with better quality embryos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among women of reproductive age, experts say that more than 40 percent<\/a> are insufficient in vitamin D, making supplementation highly beneficial. Prenatal vitamins typically contain at least 400IU of vitamin D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Folate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Also known as folic acid, folate is a B vitamin that helps the body convert food into energy. Folate also helps make genetic material like DNA and RNA. Therefore, folate is essential for healthy cell division. Folate is important for reproduction in men and women, and is especially important for pregnant women, where it helps support the rapidly growing fetus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though folate is found in many foods, such as dark, leafy greens, beans, and fresh fruits, folate deficiency<\/a> can occur in those who don\u2019t get enough fruits and veggies, those who overcook folate-rich foods, or individuals who suffer from alcoholism, anemia, or digestive system diseases. Supplementation with folic acid or 5-MTHF (methyl folate) may improve sperm quality and lower the risk of birth defects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How folic acid benefits male fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Folic acid plays an important role in spermatogenesis, or the production and development of mature sperm. Research<\/a> shows that low levels of folic acid are associated with sperm DNA fragmentation<\/a>, or genetic damage to the sperm which can hinder male fertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One study<\/a> found that supplementing with high doses of folate may be beneficial for sperm health, especially when combined with zinc. Men who supplemented with folate and zinc had a significantly higher sperm concentration, as well as much higher quality sperm than those taking a placebo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How folic acid benefits female fertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Folate is a crucial component of female production, helping to promote oocyte quality and maturation, implantation, placentation, fetal growth, and organ development. In fact, folate is so important that the CDC recommends<\/a> all women who could become pregnant to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid each day. This helps prevent birth defects like anencephaly and spina bifida, and is typically a primary ingredient in prenatal vitamins, and supplements food with folate from a well-balanced diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supplementation with folic acid may be helpful even before you\u2019re pregnant. Studies<\/a> show that folic acid supplementation has been shown to increase ovulation rates as well as pregnancy rates due to an increase of progesterone levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats the body needs for a broad range of cellular and bodily functions, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n