Foods/diet To Improve Egg Quality After 40
Everyone knows that our diet and proper nutrition have a direct effect on our health. It should come as no surprise that our diet also has a direct impact on our fertility.
When you are trying to get pregnant, there are foods you can eat to improve your fertility and to increase your egg quality, like liver, fish, and full-fat dairy products. All of these foods contain high levels of vitamin A. Sufficient Vitamin A levels play a significant factor in ensuring oocyte quality, ovarian response, and embryonic development . Research indicates that eating foods containing high levels of omega-3s like fish, oysters, and flax seeds may be effective to preserve fertility and improve egg quality .
Who Should Take Fertility Vitamins
Men and women looking to support or improve their sperm, egg, ovulatory, or general reproductive health should consider taking fertility supplements.
Men can use fertility vitamins and supplements to support the health of sperm count, motility, morphology, testosterone levels, and to help support overall health.
For women, fertility supplements can help to support healthy egg quality, ovarian reserve, ovarian health, endometrial lining development, immune system health, and overall health.
Women are also often recommended to take a prenatal and fish oil throughout the duration of pregnancy and lactation.
Remember, each person is different and supplements can interfere with prescription medications so its important to speak with your healthcare provider prior to beginning a new dietary supplement.
Similarly, its important to keep in mind that not all fertility supplements are made equal. While the FDA does play an important role in the regulation of dietary supplements, theyre not looked at with the same level of scrutiny or held to the same purity standards as manufactured drugs.
Be sure you do your research, speak with a healthcare professional if you take any medications or have known medical conditions, and use a trusted brand/manufacturer when selecting the right supplements for you.
Take Your Supplements And Vitamins
An example of a supplement that has been studied and recommended to improve fertility is antioxidant Coenzyme Q10 , Antioxidants reduce free radical damage and decrease the effects of aging in the ovaries. Besides that, prenatal multivitamins ensure adequate nutrients your body needs to facilitate healthy egg development. Some other examples of supplements include folic acid, vitamins A and E which improve the mitochondrial function of eggs, the energy source that helps with DNA replication.
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What About The Other Vitamins Women Mention To Increase Fertility
There are so many vitamins and supplements out there that may or may not help increase your fertility and your efforts to get pregnant. When it comes to supplementation, its always important to first consider what the supplement has actually been shown to help improve as well as what the clinical studies show.
Important questions to ask yourself include:
- Does the supplement help address my unique condition ?
Keep an open mind, but dont be afraid to be critical. Supplements arent a magic bullet and just because one combination of supplements worked for one woman, doesnt mean its guaranteed to work for another. And remember, age will always be the best predictor of egg quality, so that has to be taken into consideration with the bigger picture.
Another important consideration when choosing supplements is cost. It probably goes without saying, but the cost of supplements can quickly add up, which is why its extra important to do your homework. Of course, its also extremely important to speak to your fertility specialist before taking a bunch of new fertility supplements.
The Mens Prenatal Vitamin That Started It All
These days, mens prenatal vitamins are part of the fertility and conception conversation and they should be. Sperm health plays a big role in everything from conception to the health of future generations. But how did we get here? This is the story of Beli Vitality, the mens prenatal vitamin that started it all.
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Are Fertility Supplements Evidence
An evidence-based practicewhether it be a medication, intervention or therapy, complementary treatment, or even the way a provider communicates about careis a practice thats been thoroughly examined via appropriate research and found to make a significant difference in patient outcomes. Evidence-based is the gold standard in healthcare. Are fertility supplements evidence-based? Overwhelmingly, no.
Fertility supplements, like all nutritional supplements, are not regulated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other regulating body. That means that no one is keeping track of whats in these supplements, let alone checking that they actually do what they claim to do. Unlike over-the-counter or prescription medications, fertility supplements are not required to prove their effectiveness via clinical trials .
In one review of 39 womens fertility supplements available on the market, researchers found that not a single manufacturer provided any reasonable scientific substantiation that its products help women become pregnant. To quote those researchers:
So, whats a savvy consumer and hopeful parent to do? Remember that, when it comes to fertility supplements, you and/or your doctor will need to do your own research into the evidence to support the use of particular ingredients. This guide is a great place to start.
Live A Healthy Lifestyle
You are born with all the eggs you have in your lifetime, but what we call egg quality is not actually a fixed thingas the egg develops before ovulation, its affected by outside factors, so you want to keep your body as pristine as possible. Everything that you do affects your eggs, so the older you get the more environmental toxins theyve been exposed to and the more likely they are to be abnormal, says Alice Domar, Ph.D., an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard Medical School and director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health at Boston IVF. But that doesnt mean there arent ways to keep your eggs healthy as you age. It is always good to improve your overall health as a way to improve your fertility potential, says Lora Shahine, M.D., an OBGYN and reproductive specialist at Pacific NW Fertility in Seattle. I encourage patients to maintain a healthy weight because being underweight or overweight can decrease chances to conceive. Exercise, but not to a point of exhaustiondo yoga, Pilates, walking, light jogging or strength training instead of long-distance running or CrossFit.
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Top Tips For Boosting Fertility:
- A Mediterranean-style , low glycaemic index diet high in vegetables, wholegrains, fish, pulses, healthy fats and low in sugar will benefit both your waistline and your fertility
- Limit the amount of sugar and sweet foods you eat, as this contributes to weight gain and can displace healthier foods in your diet
- Avoid drinking alcohol while trying to conceive. For both partners, conception levels may reduce with more than 5 units per week
- Drink plenty of water ideally 1.5 litres daily
- get some gentle exercise. This helps to support optimal weight and reduce stress levels
Sims patients can avail of a 4 week meal plan with recipes by Glenville Nutrition to help optimise fertility. Ask your nurse or Dr for more information.
If you need additional advice on food, supplements or tests ask your Sims nurse.
- References
What Is The Best Source Of Vit D
Sunlight
We are solar-powered beings and require the sun for many of our biological functions. However, being indoors for the vast majority of the day contributes to the epidemic of vitamin D insufficiency found in the majority of Americans.
Because 80% of the vitamin D your body makes is from sunlight and the remaining 20% comes from diet and supplements, the best way to increase vitamin D levels is to be in the sun.
Spend 15-30 minutes daily, or about half the time it takes your skin to turn pink, in direct sunlight with NO sunscreen.
The goal is to get adequate sun and not burn. Peak times are between 10am-3pm.
For light skinned people this may be only 15-30 minutes, but darker skinned people may need two hours or more in the winter.
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Vitamin B6 And Female Fertility
A study published in 2007 found that women with higher blood levels of B6 are more likely to be fertile. But does that mean female infertility can be treated by simply increasing B6 levels? Unfortunately, that has not yet been proven.
One possible reason for the B6 connection to fertility may be due to levels of homocysteine, which is a common amino acid found in the bloodstream. High homocysteine levels in the follicles is associated with ovulation problems.
Low homocysteine levels, meanwhile, may improve the odds of successful pregnancy. In a small study published in 2017, women with a history of pregnancy loss who took supplemental folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 had lowered homocysteine levels. However, the researchers didn’t measure the level of B6 in the blood.
Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
Everything that you do can affect the quality of eggs thus it is important to keep your body as healthy as possible. As an example, adequate sleep is essential in promoting fertility. Lack of sleep affects the hypothalamic-pituitary axis which may influence reproductive hormones, interfere with normal follicular development, affect menstruation and fertility. Besides that, exercises such as yoga, Pilates, light jogging or strength training can benefit women who try to conceive.
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Male Fertility Antioxidant Supplements
For men hoping to increase fertility, the goal is to make sure sperm are healthy. Antioxidant supplements can help. Researchers studied 101 infertile men who had abnormal semen.13 The men used an antioxidant supplement contains L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10 , vitamin E, lycopene, N-acetyl L-cysteine, vitamins A, D3, C, and K, B-complex vitamins, iodine, selenium, zinc, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, grape seed extract, benfotiamine, and L-arginine.
Improving Egg Quality With Supplements
In this post Ill go over whether or not supplements can improve egg quality. Ill describe what supplements are, look at the success rates for using them to treat infertility, and address the question do they really work?.
For more background info, check out my post on Egg quality
- Amino acids
- Antioxidants
In the USA, supplements are classified as food and not as drugs. This means that supplements arent regulated and require NO TESTING before being sold to the public.
The result?
A huge industry worth over 128 billion USD in 2017 and most of it built on no scientific evidence .
Preposterous I say!
Lets take a look at what some of these supplements are and see if any of them really do benefit fertility.
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How Long Does It Take To Improve Egg Quality
Eggs take approximately 90 days to develop from the time they are pulled from the waiting pool to ovulation. As such, fertility specialists recommend taking supplements, starting acupuncture, and making diet/ lifestyle changes 3-4 months before trying to conceive. Dont stress out if you feel like youre in a time crunch! Making these changes even one month before conceiving, especially with fertility treatments, has been shown to positively impact egg quality.
Vegetarian Food Source Of Vit D
The only vegetarian source of natural vitamin D is mushrooms.
However, the form found in mushrooms, vitamin D2, is not the same as that found in animal sources .
In fact, vitamin D2 is not made in the human body at all and is less effective than the D3 form that we make ourselves – no surprise there.
One study shows D3
- Is 87% better at raising and maintaining vitamin D levels
- Produces 2-3 times more storage of the vitamin than D2
Therefore, mushrooms should NOT be relied on as a natural food source of vitamin D.
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Nutrients To Nourish Egg Health
Vitamins B6 and B12 help promote normal ovulation
B6 and B12 work together to regulate healthy hormone balance and trigger regular ovulation, which can boost your chances of conceiving. The right amount of B6 helps promote balanced levels of estrogen and progesterone which are crucial for the cell signaling that happens during egg maturation and ovulation. B12 is necessary for cell division and building healthy blood. Supplementing with evidence-based levels of these important vitamins improves outcomes for IVF, too. Beli for Women includes the most bioavailable forms of these nutrients so your body can start using them right away.
Folate protects against chromosomal abnormalities
Many cases of infertility, miscarriage, and failed IVF cycles share a common cause: chromosomal abnormalities in the egg that occur during maturation. Supplementing with a high-quality, bioavailable form of methylated folate has been shown to substantially lower the risk of chromosomal abnormalities. Plus, adequate folate levels can help improve your chances of conception, which means you get to meet you little one sooner.
Vitamin E can help protect maturing eggs
Vitamin E is famous for its role in cellular repair, which is why it often shows up in skincare products. In your ovaries, E is a powerhouse antioxidant that can help fight oxidative damage to eggs, preventing the most negative effects of premature aging.
Vitamin K2 can help balance progesterone and estrogen
Meaningful Ways To Show Support Through Infertility Or Miscarriage
With one in four couples experiencing infertility or miscarriage, theres a good chance you know someone or are someone who understands the struggle all too well. As we move closer to National Infertility Awareness Week, were sharing four meaningful ways to show support through infertility or miscarriage.
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Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin For Fertility
Vitamin D, unlike most other vitamins, is a prohormone meaning it is a precursor to other hormones. And despite its name, Vitamin D isnt technically a vitamin for humans because we are capable of synthesizing it.
Despite your body being able to synthesize Vitamin D, sun exposure often does not provide adequate vitamin D levels, which is a problem because only a small number of foods contain a significant amount.
In fact, approximately 40% of the population is deficient in this vital nutrient.
This could be bad news for your reproductive health as both vitamin D receptors and vitamin D converting enzymes are found in male and female reproductive tissues. In fact, mice that lack the genes to produce these vitamin D receptors have significantly smaller testes and ovaries, reduced sperm count and motility, and other abnormalities of the testis, ovary, and uterus.
The Basics Principles Of A Fertility Diet & Why A High Fat Low Carb Diet Is The Best Diet For Improving Fertility
Simply put, we believe a high-fat low carbohydrate diet is the best diet for your fertility. While this may sound controversial, Dr. Kiltz and other fertility experts both here at CNY Fertility and elsewhere understand the importance of a high fat low carbohydrate diet for fertility. While eating a high fat diet goes against what most of us were taught in school, a lotof that science has already been debunked. The truth is that fat provides key building blocks for every cell in our bodies and is vital for supporting fertility.
A high-fat low carbohydrate diet helps to support fertility through two main avenues.
- Reducing inflammation
- Balancing hormones and supporting the synthesis of many influential reproductive hormones
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Improve Your Egg Quality With Supplements
- CoQ10: This supports energy transport in cell membranes and is an antioxidant. Older women can experience a breakdown in energy production in egg cells.
- DHEA : A hormone that can increase follicular stimulation. DHEA production declines with age and can help women with Decreased Ovarian Reserve or Premature Ovarian Failure .
- L-Arginine: An amino acid that can increase circulation to the uterus and ovaries. This aids with the quality of maturing eggs and can improve the chances of implantation.
- Myo-Inositol: This can help improve glucose metabolism and can improve fertility rates in women with PCOS. Inositol has been shown to restore normal ovulation patterns.
- Melatonin: Melatonin has antioxidant traits which will improve egg quality. One study found that pregnancy rates in those with unexplained infertility were 30% higher in those taking melatonin.
- EPA/DHA Fish Oil: Fish oil can help regulate hormones, increase blood flow to the uterus, reduce sensitivity to the hormone prolactin, and increase egg white cervical mucus.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Lodge, call 615.690.6600. Cool Springs OBGYN is a leader in womens healthcare in the Nashville metropolitan area.
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Knowledgeable & Advisory Panel
Ome dietary supplementation earlier than attempting to get pregnant or fertility therapies. With all of the hype, it is no simple feat to sift the snake oil from the science-backed dietary supplements that do even have some potential to reinforce your reproductive well being earlier than, throughout and after egg freezing and are value dropping some money on. We will share what we have found about the place the science matches as much as the advertising and marketing to help sure kinds of complement, and which particular manufacturers we take into account value investing in, having weighed up the info and the drama with our unbiased evaluation.
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Ways To Improve Egg Quality Naturally
Although some doctors may disregard diet and lifestyle when it comes to egg quality. The truth is more and more research is coming out to support that what we eat, where we work, how we move our body and how we live, fundamentally matters! So, before you start adding any of the suggestions below, please remember that supplements should supplement healthy lifestyle and dietary modification, they should NOT replace them. Again, if you are hoping to magically increase your egg quality by adding yet another supplement to your morning routine, you will most likely be under-welled. That being said, if you are ready to make serious headway and are ready to make serious, sometimes life- alternating change, then please continue reading.
