10 natural ways to boost your fertility

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have just announced they are expecting – here are some fertility tips for anyone who isn't finding it as easy. 

Maira Hermann Zeh for Healthista
bodyandsoul.com.auOctober 16, 20187:38am

Image: Getty Images.Source:BodyAndSoul

The royal wedding caused a vast global interest with 18 million viewers tuning in. But a royal baby by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would certainly beat those stats in no time. Well, Prince Harry, 34, and Meghan, now 37, announced just today the best news ever, they are expecting a much anticipated spring 2019 B-A-B-Y.

Meghan got pregnant in virtually no time, but it’s not always that simple for women over 35, the age at which fertility begins to decline, according to experts.

Here, Rick Hay, Healthista’s Nutritional Director, takes us through the maze of vitamins, nutrients, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and greens that could help boost fertility.

‘After the age of 35, conceiving can become difficult due to declining sperm and egg quality. Good nutrition and supplementing your body for optimum fertility health could be the answer’ explains Rick.

1. Vitamin B6

This vitamin helps to regulate and promote healthy hormonal activity allowing to extend the luteal phase, which is the time between ovulating and your menstrual cycle by producing progesterone and in turn helping with egg development and improving the chances of conception.

Found in: potatoes, fruit, fish and lentils. The Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) is between 1.1 and 1.7 mg/day.

2. Vitamin B9 Folic acid

Low levels of this vitamin are linked to birth defects, in particular spina bifida, which is a defect in the spine. Folic acid will also provide normal maternal tissue growth and help with cell division processes that will determine foetal development. B9 helps with conception because it improves the overall sperm count and boosts sperm motility. The RDI is between 1.1 and 1.7 mg/day.

Found in: potatoes, fruit, fish and lentils.

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3. Vitamin B12

Low levels of B12 may contribute to infertility and also have a role to play in multiple miscarriages. Oxidative stress is one of the main reasons for a decrease in male fertility through DNA damage, B12 provides a healthy production of sperm, motility and vitality. For women it can help prevent irregular ovulation and provide a healthier cycle and balance of hormones. Egg health is also developed and can increase chances of egg implantation.

Found in: red meat, eggs, milk, cheese, fish, yeast extract, fortified soya milks, fortified veggie burgers. The optimal dose is 2.4 µg/day.

4. Selenium

Selenium is an antioxidant that has an important role to help protect our bodies from free radicals and preventing damage to the chromosome which can lead to difficulties in conception, birth defects or miscarriage. Male fertility can also benefit from selenium by aiding the quality of sperm and production.

Found in: Brazil nuts, sardines and tuna as well as green leafy vegetables. The RDI for Selenium is 60 µg/day for women.

5. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is another antioxidant your body needs for fertility. Again this vitamin will help with sperm development, protect against oxidative stress and increase chances of implantation. For women vitamin C looks after ovulation and egg health by producing ascorbic acid, this is needed to help collagen synthesis in the ovaries for follicle growth. The RDI is 45 mg/day.

Found in: citrus fruits, berries, leafy greens and fruit juices.

6. Vitamin E

Here is another important antioxidant to look after the cells from oxidative stress. Similar to vitamin C this can provide a healthier production of sperm with better motility and vitality to give more likelihood of implantation. For women this vitamin can also provide a longer luteal phase and improve chances of conception with better overall egg health. The RDI is 7 mg/day for female adults.

Found in: nuts, seeds, kale and olive oil.

7. Zinc

This mineral can help with normal fertility and reproduction by keeping a healthy balance in the hormones, oestrogen and progesterone to provide good egg cell health. It is important for men to make sure they have good levels of zinc as low levels may lead to poor sperm quality, decreasing the chance of implantation. The RDI is 8 mg/day for female adults.

Found in: seafood, pumpkin seeds and chickpeas.

8. Iron

Women will especially need this mineral due to demand doubling during pregnancy, if iron levels are deficient it can cause miscarriages. Taking iron will help with the formation of healthy red blood cells and provide an improved circulation to the reproductive areas. The RDI intake for female adults aged between 19 and 50 is 18 mg/day.

Found in: pulses, organic eggs, meat, fish, and tofu.

9. Co-Enzyme Q10

This enzyme is used for producing energy in sport, it can also be used to create energy production at a mitochondrial level for egg health. Co-Enyzme Q10 also helps with embryo development and with the health of the mature egg from an older woman which requires a large amount of energy. For men it can help with sperm cell motility and health.

Found in: sardines, broccoli, spinach and sesame seeds.

10. Arginine

Arginine is a key amino acid that helps improve blood flow to the uterus, ovaries and genitals, this will provide more efficient function in the reproductive organs. The increased blood flow also helps to create an healthy environment for the embryo implantation.

Found in: peanuts, turkey, pumpkin seeds and algae such as spirulina.


For more on this topic, these are the 7 tricks Tiff Hall follows to keep her hormones balanced. And if you're trying for a baby, scientists have revealed the best time and month to have sex.


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