Conceiving a baby is difficult for one in six Australian couples1, however, lifestyle changes can have a huge influence on both you and your partner’s ability to conceive. Up to one third of fertility issues is due to male infertility, and even if your partner is seemingly in good health, he may still be producing poor quality semen.
There are, however, certain foods and ingredients that have been shown to improve fertility and improve semen quality.
Read on for the top methods for boosting fertility, naturally.
1. Selenium
Just two Brazil nuts per day will give you more than your recommended daily intake of Selenium, a mineral which has strong antioxidant properties and has been shown to protect sperm from free radical damage. One study, completed in Scotland2, found that selenium supplementation improved sperm motility (how effectively sperm move).
Selenium is also hugely beneficial for those with over or under active thyroids (which is more common amongst women than men), with research showing that selenium is beneficial for effective thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism3. Thyroid conditions are also believed to play a role in women’s fertility- making selenium intake not only important for your man, but for you also!
If you aren’t a fan of Brazil nuts, other sources of Selenium include eggs, asparagus, fish and red meat.
2. Ubiquinol
Ubiquinol is the active (more readily absorbed) form of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a potent antioxidant which is naturally produced in our body. Research has shown that Ubiquinol helps protect sperm cells from oxidative stress, which is a potential cause of male infertility. However, our natural Ubiquinol levels decline as we age, peaking at around the age of thirty and even earlier if you are physically active or stressed. A study in the Journal of Urology4 found that supplementing with Ubiquinol improved both sperm quality and sperm motility.
You can find Ubiquinol in foods like sardines and red meat, but you’d need to eat 50 cans of sardines or 3kg of red meat per day to reach your recommended daily intake!
3. Folic Acid and Zinc
Many women know about the benefits of Folic Acid, both during pregnancy and prior to conception. However, what many of us don’t realise is that when it comes to making a baby, men can also benefit from upping their folic acid intake!
A Dutch study published in Fertility and Sterility5 found that a combination of folic acid and zinc supplementation in males with fertility issues improved sperm count by 74%. However, the researchers found that when participants took Folic Acid or Zinc on their own, sperm count was not increased.
If you’re unsure about how much of either nutrient you or your partner may need, it’s best to consult your healthcare practitioner.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Most of us are aware that Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish and some seeds like chia seeds) are beneficial for our health in a number of ways, but most of us don’t consume the recommended 2-3 serves of oily fish per week.
Our body needs Omega-3’s in order to function, but our body can’t produce Omega-3’s on its own, and needs us to find them in food sources. Poor sperm count and motility has been linked to a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, Omega-3’s assist in fighting inflammation, which may interfere with women’s fertility. Omega-3 supplementation has also been shown to increase uterine blood flow, which is believed to assist with female fertility.
5. Stress less about coffee
With so much conflicting information out there when it comes to fertility, it can be confusing for women to know which foods they can consume when trying for a baby, and which they can’t. Many women forego coffee altogether, believing it could harm their chances of conceiving.
Research has shown that drinking more than 500mg a caffeine per day could have a negative effect on women hoping to conceive. However, 500mg equates to about five cups of coffee per day, which is a fairly significant amount for one person to consume! This means that if you’re sticking to 1-2 cups of coffee per day, your fertility won’t suffer.
6. Beetroot
This delicious purple vegetable is rich in folate (a different nutrient to folic acid), which is also known as vitamin B9. As well as B vitamins having great benefits for our energy levels, B9 specifically has been linked to low sperm count.
Beetroots are also rich in nitrates, which have been shown to improve blood flow-making them a favourite of athletes, but also a recommended dietary staple to women undergoing IVF, to improve blood flow to the uterus.
About the Expert:
Stephen Eddey is a qualified Nutritionist and Naturopath and is the Principal of Australia’s longest established natural medicine college, Health Schools Australia. He has completed a Bachelor of Complementary Medicine as well as a Masters in Health Science and is studying a PhD in Nutritional Medicine.
4 Safarinejad, M et al, 2012, Journal of Urology, ‘Effects of the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) on semen parameters in men with idiopathic infertility: a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized study’, 188(2):526-31 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22704112
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