Vitamins that Improve Fertility

There are no single magic supplement you can take to improve your fertility, but there are some important vitamins and trace substances that you can add to your diet to improve your chances of conceiving. There are a vast selection of supplements on the market and it can be difficult to know which ones to chose. As a rule of thumb, natural foods are better than pills. Have an orange instead of a vitamin C pill. There are many other positive side effects from healthy food so it is definitively worth is. In this article we present a short list of the most important vitamins and nutrients to improve your fertility.

Calcium

In preparation for the pregnancy it is important to build up your reserves of calcium. Calcium helps raising the pH in your body, which is good for the sperm and the fertilized egg, as well as other beneficial health effects. The best source of calcium is raw diary products, green leaf vegetables and almond. One glass of raw milk contains 900 mg calcium.

While in general it is easier for the body to take up calcium from food there are also a large number of supplements containing calcium that can also be recommended. Try a supplement made from crushed sea shells. A woman trying to improve her fertility should get at least 1000 mg calcium per day.

Zinc

• help the formation of healthy sperm
• keeps testicles healthy
• increases the sperm count
  

The best source of zinc is oysters, but that doesn't mean you have to start eating oysters every day; there are plenty of alternatives available in form of supplements. Recommended daily intake is 15 mg.

Vitamin C

• improves the hormonal balance
• help ovulation
• improves immune system
• helps the body to take up iron
  

• improve the mobility of the sperm
  

The daily dose of 750-1000 mg vitamin C you preferably get from fresh fruit and berries such as oranges, lemon, strawberries and vegetables such as pepper and spinach which are all rich in vitamin C.

This being said, don't overdose vitamin C as this can lead to a lower pH in the body, something which negatively affect both egg and sperm.

Vitamin E

In women, vitamin E is important for

• the endocrine system
• absorption of essential fatty acids that in turn is needed for the formation of important hormones
  

• good production of sperm and hormones
• protects sperm from mutations
  

The best source of vitamin E is dark leaf vegetables, liver, sunflower oil and pumpkin seed.
Iron

Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen in the blood and also helps balancing the ovulation. A study showed that 40% of women with ovulatory problems became fertile after extra intake of iron.

The best source of iron is food based supplements, as synthetic supplements often result in constipation.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is important for the body to be able to absorb proteins, minerals and other vitamins. Vitamin A is found in for example cod liver oil. The recommended daily intake is 5000-10000 IU. Pregnant women must be careful though, as too much vitamin A may hurt the growing fetus.

Folic acid

Folic acid is known to help prevent spina bifida in the growing fetus.This trace substance is important to take before and during pregnancy. You should also make sure to add vitamin B12 and all other vitamin B to your diet as they are necessary for the development of the fetus. If you start taking these before pregnancy you help your body to build a reserve for your future baby.