Fertility Increasing Foods

 ben bunting BA(Hons) PgCert Sport & Exercise Nutriton  Written by Ben Bunting: BA(Hons), PGCert.

--

When you decide that now’s the right time for you and your partner to have a baby, there’s a lot to consider.

From where you’re going to live to what values you’re going to raise it with, there are many things that you need to discuss.

What many potential parents overlook is their fertility and how small, seemingly insignificant factors can have a major effect on their ability to conceive a baby naturally.

One of the elements that you might not consider when you’re trying for a baby is your diet, particularly as a man.

While women’s diets are often highly scrutinized during the conception and pregnancy periods, mens’ diets are often overlooked.

Both men and women need to be aware of their diets and how they affect their fertility while trying for a baby.

If you don’t understand how diet affects fertility and how you can naturally boost yours by eating the right foods, then this is the perfect blog post for you.

Diet can have a major effect on your fertility, so there’s a lot to go over when discussing this topic.

In this article, we’re going to cover as much as possible, including:

  • What Is Fertility?
  • How Does Diet Affect Fertility?
  • What Foods Can Improve My Fertility?
  • Are There Any Foods That Could Harm My Chances Of Conceiving A Child?
  • How Else Can I Improve My Chances Of Having A Baby?
  • Conclusion

By the end of this article, we hope that you’ll understand the role that diet plays in fertility and how you can improve yours by eating the right foods. 

What Is Fertility?

pregnant woman

Before we begin, you might be wondering what we mean when we talk about fertility. Fertility is the likelihood that you will conceive a child naturally through penetrative sex, with no medical intervention.

The more fertile you and your partner are, the easier it will be for you to conceive a child without having to use outside treatments such as IVF.

Some individuals are lucky and have great fertility naturally. Even if you are fortunate enough to be fertile, issues such as age, lifestyle and overall health can inhibit fertility and mean that it takes longer for you to conceive your dream baby.

Thankfully, there are natural ways to boost your fertility. One of the easiest and most straightforward is to adapt your diet, as we’re discussing in this article.

How Does Diet Affect Fertility? 

diet and fertility

Diet affects fertility as it has a direct effect on the sex hormones that your body produces. For men, the main sex hormone is testosterone, while for women, it is estrogen. [1]

Both men and women have testosterone and estrogen in their bodies and produce the hormones, but the levels differ for each gender. [2]

These hormones are produced in the sexual organs: the ovaries for women and the testicles for men.

A small amount of sex hormones are also created in the adrenal glands, which can be found in the kidneys.

The foods you eat can affect hormone production, meaning that you might be able to boost your body’s natural supply of testosterone and estrogen by changing your diet. [3]

Also, the body’s ability to produce hormones depends on your overall health. If your body is fighting off infections or dealing with other issues, then it will not be as focused on producing sex hormones, which could affect your fertility.

Your diet has a direct impact on your general health, so improving it and eating better could help you to improve your chances of conceiving naturally.

As some of the sex hormones are produced in the adrenal glands in the kidneys, aspiring parents should consider optimizing their diet to improve the health and function of these vital organs.

This approach will mean that they work correctly and produce as much of the required sex hormones as possible.

Another reason to consider improving your diet when trying for a baby is that a good diet can give you more energy.

You’ll need plenty of energy to conceive a child, as you need to be having regular sexual intercourse with your partner.

Once the baby is conceived, you should still try to eat healthily; after all, you’re going to need plenty of energy once the baby arrives!

➡️READ: Natural treatments for male infertility

They’ll be lots to do, and you’ll find that you lose sleep when you have a newborn, so getting into the habit of eating healthily and preserving your energy now could stand you in good stead when you finally welcome a new member to the family.

So, as this list shows, improving your diet can help you to boost your fertility. It can also help you to look and feel healthier by brightening skin, improving muscle tone and helping you to lose weight. [4]

All of these benefits and more could be yours if you improve your diet and focus on eating the right foods.

With meal delivery services, the prevalence of large grocery stores and online ordering, it’s easier than ever to improve your diet and still enjoy tasty meals that you love.

What Foods Can Improve My Fertility?

foods for fertility

When you’re looking to conceive, there are plenty of foods that can help you to become healthier and produce more sex hormones.

The result will be quicker conception without as much worry.

Eating healthier can also help you in other aspects of your life, such as achieving your fitness and body goals. [5]

Some of the foods that can help you to increase your fertility naturally are: 

  • Sunflower Seeds: Sunflower seeds contain vitamin E, which studies show can help to improve fertility and testosterone levels in men, so you should try to add these tasty snacks to your diet. [6]
  • Walnuts: Another vitamin E filled snack is walnuts, which are packed with the vitamin as well as other nutrients and healthy oils and fats. Furthermore, they contain higher levels of folate which are also proven to stimulate fetility. [7] While walnuts can boost your fertility, they are also high in calories and fat, so you should try to avoid eating too many. Find natural, unflavoured walnuts and try adding them to healthy salads for a burst of earthy flavor, or eating them alone as a healthy snack to replace chips or other processed treats
  • Natural Dairy Products: Natural, unprocessed dairy products, such as natural yogurt, cheese and milk, can provide a number of valuable nutrients, such as calcium and many vitamins, a study from 2019 established a link between calcium deficiency and male infertility. [8] 
  • Tomatoes: Thanks to the pigment that gives them their red color, known as lycopene, tomatoes can help to improve sperm production and quality. [9] So, it would be best if you tried to add tomatoes into your diet; avoid processed options like ketchup and instead try fresh tomatoes and concentrated tomato puree. In addition to lycopene, tomato also contains vitamin A which is able to help treat infertility. [10] In supplement form, an ideal dose would range from 4-12mg daily.
  • Oysters: Oysters are often known as an aphrodisiac, but they can also be a great choice for those who are trying to improve their fertility as they contain a lot of beneficial nutrients like zinc, iron and vitamin b12. Research tells us that low levels of zinc in a persons diet is associated with low levels of testosterone. [11]
  • Avocados: Avocados are full of good fats and are another amazing source of vitamin E. They also contain folic acid and vitamin A, albeit in lower amounts. However, all of those vitamins do contribute to fertility and are included in our unique Fertiligy formula. Avocados are also tasty and easy to integrate into your diet, particularly if you enjoy Mexican dishes.
  • Salmon and oily fish: Healthy, oily fish such as mackerel, as well as salmon, can all be great sources of nutrients and healthy fats. Salmon is high in vitamin D which is great for sperm health [12] and selenium which has shown can improve sperm motility. [13] Avoid fish that is high in mercury or heavily processed, such as fish fingers or battered fried fish. Instead, opt for fresh pieces of healthy fish with a delicious, fresh salad or some steamed vegetables. 
  • Spinach: Spinach, as well as its cousin, kale, can be great sources of iron and other important nutrients such as vitamin A, folic acid and vitamin K which has been shown in stides to help reverse the decline of testosterone. [14] Clearly they’re great for improving fertility and genal wellbeing. Consider eating them both raw and cooked to get the most out of them. Raw spinach and kale can be enjoyed in healthy salads, while cooked spinach works well with cheese and other dairy products.
  • Beets: Beetroot is a tasty, earthy vegetable that’s also a great source of resveratrol, an antioxidant that can help to improve sperm production and reduce the effects of age-related infertility. Beets also contain high levels of folic acid and zinc. Beetroot is bright and bold and is delicious in salads and tomato-based sauces.
  • Eggs: Eggs are a source of iron, zinc and many other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D that has clinical evidence to improve your chances of conceiving. [15] so you should try to add them to your diet while you’re trying for a baby. Eggs are also tasty and easy to cook, making them an ideal quick and healthy dinner or lunch option.
  • Beef: Beef contains high amounts of selenium but also amino acids, this includes D-aspartic acid. So, not only is it great to build more muscle and maintain your fitness, it's also a great way to boost your sperm count. [16]
  • Oatmeal: Oats are a formidable breakfast which can help you power through your day. You can eat them mixed with water or milk, they're also a popular addition to smoothies. Oats contain high levels of cysteine which are capable of reducing oxidative stress and increasing sperm motility. [17]
  • Olive Oil: Olive oil is great for drizzling over leafy salads which could include many of the foods already mentioned, plus the olive oil would provide that additional benefit due to the high levels of CoQ10 that it contains. This is great news for anyone suffering from low sperm count as CoQ10 improves sperm density and concentrations. [18]

This is just a small selection of the many foods that could boost your fertility.

When choosing foods for your diet when you’re trying to conceive, the key is to explore the nutrients and vitamins in a portion of food to see if they could boost your fertility.

When adding these foods to your diet, you should try to eat a variety of the options on this list.

While you don’t need to eat all of them, you shouldn’t focus on just one.

Instead, it would help if you tried to add as many as you can to give yourself the best possible chance of improving your fertility and general health.

Are There Any Foods That Could Harm My Chances Of Conceiving A Child?

unhealthy foods affect fertility

As well as adding foods to your diet, it would help if you also considered removing some that might be hindering your efforts to conceive.

 Some of the most common foods that can hinder fertility include: 

  • Soda: Some studies have shown that sodas, particularly diet sodas, could be damaging your fertility, so try swapping them for healthier drinks such as fresh fruit juice or water. [19]
  • Processed Meat: Processed meats, such as ham, sausages and burgers, could harm fertility, as shown by some research into how the Western diet can lead to lower fertility [20]
  • Caffeine: Caffeine, which is commonly found in coffee, tea and energy drinks, can disrupt your body’s hormone production and, as such, it is not ideal for anyone who wants to have a baby soon. Research also states that it may cause dmamage to the DNA of sperm, too. [21] It is possible to be addicted to caffeine, so consider trying to wean yourself off by using decaffeinated coffee. 
  • Trans Fats: Trans fats can reduce your sperm count, so it’s best to avoid them if possible. They are often found in pre-packaged cakes, snacks and fast foods, so try to cut down on them. [22]
  • Overly Processed Foods: As well as trans fats, you should also try to cut down on processed foods in general. That’s because any food that is highly processed can contain a lot of potentially harmful chemicals, so it’s best if you try to eat whole, natural foods while you’re trying for a baby. [23]

So, when you’re trying for a baby, you should try to cut out these foods where possible.

Try to reduce your consumption of them or don’t eat them at all if you can.

By replacing these foods with the ones that could boost your body’s fertility, you’ll improve your chances of getting pregnant naturally and quickly.

The sooner you conceive, the sooner your partner will have the baby, and the more time you can spend having fun together as a family.

How Else Can I Improve My Chances Of Having A Baby?

couple exercising fertility

While diet is important when trying to improve your fertility, there are other things you can do to boost your fertility naturally.

Almost every aspect of your life, from your exercise regime to your alcohol consumption, could reduce your testosterone levels and natural ability to conceive.

So, if you’re planning on starting a family or expanding your brood, you should try to cut back on your vices, such as cigarettes and alcohol, and try to be as healthy as possible.

Both you and your partner need to work hard to improve your overall health and boost your chances of conceiving.

If your partner isn’t pulling their weight, then the problem could be on their side. Make sure that you’re both on the same page and that you’re both ready to bring new life into the world before you start actively trying to get pregnant.

Once you’re both ready and working hard to improve your chances, you should explore all the options, from bettering your diet to reducing your exposure to toxins.

If you want to improve your chances even further, then you should consider adding a natural supplement to your wellness regime, such as Fertiligy.

We offer an innovative solution that is made with a blend of scientifically proven, naturally beneficial nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Our experts have worked hard to create a unique blend of ingredients that are designed to boost testosterone production in men naturally.

With zinc, vitamins A, D2 and E, as well as folic acid, Ashwagandha and many other ingredients, our one-of-a-kind product offers everything your body needs to operate at its best while you try for a baby.

Try using this handy supplement to improve your body’s natural fertility and boost your chances of getting your partner pregnant quickly.

Additionally, you need to remember that the key to conceiving is having regular sex.

It might sound obvious, but if you’re not having regular sex and checking that your partner’s body is ready to conceive, then you definitely won’t.

There are many ways you can improve your chances of conceiving when you’re having sex, having more sex itself is a great way to increase your chances so you should learn more about these to boost your chances of getting pregnant.

Conclusion

As this article shows, the foods that you eat can play a key part in your fertility.

By optimizing your diet and eating the right foods, you can improve your chances of conceiving naturally.

Diet isn’t the only way to improve your fertility and increase your chances of having a healthy, happy baby.

A natural solution such as Fertiligy can improve your fertility and give you more energy, thanks to its various ingredients.

We’ve created a unique formula that contains a selection of nutrients, vitamins and minerals to boost your body’s natural production of sex hormones and give you more energy.

Learn how it works and see if our innovative formula could benefit you.

Taking Fertiligy could give you the hormone boost you need to be more fertile and improve your chances of having a baby without medical intervention.

If you’re looking for more information on how to improve your fertility naturally, then check out our blog.

Our fertility experts regularly share their thoughts on how you can boost your chances of having a baby with inventive natural methods.

Should you find that, after optimizing your diet, taking Fertiligy and using other natural methods, you’re still unable to conceive, then you should consult your Doctor.

They will be able to help you to understand the problem and provide you with solutions to overcome it.

It can take time to conceive a child, so don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t happen instantly.

Support your partner, do your research, optimize your lifestyle and see your Doctor if needed, but don’t give up.

Keep trying; often, success comes when you least expect it.

fertiligy male fertility supplement

References:

[1] Bishop, D.T., Meikle, A.W., Slattery, M.L., Stringham, J.D., Ford, M.H., West, D.W., Borecki, I.B. and Rao, D.C. (1988). The effect of nutritional factors on sex hormone levels in male twins. Genetic Epidemiology, 5(1), pp.43–59. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3360302/

[2] van Anders, S.M., Steiger, J. and Goldey, K.L. (2015). Effects of gendered behavior on testosterone in women and men. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, [online] 112(45), pp.13805–13810. Available at: https://www.pnas.org/content/112/45/13805.

‌[3] www.mdpi.com. (n.d.). Nutrients. [online] Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients/special_issues/diet_hormones [Accessed 2 Sep. 2021].

‌[4] BDA (n.d.). A clinical update on diet and fertility. [online] www.bda.uk.com. Available at: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/a-clinical-update-on-diet-and-fertility.html#:~:text=There%20is%20evidence%20to%20suggest [Accessed 2 Sep. 2021].

‌[5] www.nutrition.org.uk. (n.d.). Nutrition for sport and exercise - British Nutrition Foundation. [online] Available at: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/an-active-lifestyle/eating-for-sport-and-exercise.html.

[6] Mohd Mutalip, S.S., Ab-Rahim, S. and Rajikin, M.H. (2018). Vitamin E as an Antioxidant in Female Reproductive Health. Antioxidants, [online] 7(2). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5836012/.‌‌

[7] login.wolterskluwer.com. (n.d.). Page Expired. [online] Available at: https://oce.ovid.com/article/00004683-201109001-00964/HTML [Accessed 2 Sep. 2021].

[8] Beigi Harchegani, A., Irandoost, A., Mirnamniha, M., Rahmani, H., Tahmasbpour, E. and Shahriary, A. (2019). Possible Mechanisms for The Effects of Calcium Deficiency on Male Infertility. International journal of fertility & sterility, [online] 12(4), pp.267–272. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6186280/.

‌[9] Williams, E.A., Parker, M., Robinson, A., Pitt, S. and Pacey, A.A. (2019). A randomized placebo-controlled trial to investigate the effect of lactolycopene on semen quality in healthy males. European Journal of Nutrition, 59(2), pp.825–833. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31591650/

[10] Ghyasvand, T., Goodarzi, M.T., Amiri, I., Karimi, J. and Ghorbani, M. (2015). Serum levels of lycopene, beta-carotene, and retinol and their correlation with sperm DNA damage in normospermic and infertile men. International Journal of Reproductive Biomedicine, [online] 13(12), pp.787–792. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4827510/ 

[11] Prasad, A.S., Mantzoros, C.S., Beck, F.W.J., Hess, J.W. and Brewer, G.J. (1996). Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Nutrition, 12(5), pp.344–348. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8875519/

[12] de Angelis, C., Galdiero, M., Pivonello, C., Garifalos, F., Menafra, D., Cariati, F., Salzano, C., Galdiero, G., Piscopo, M., Vece, A., Colao, A. and Pivonello, R. (2017). The role of vitamin D in male fertility: A focus on the testis. Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders, [online] 18(3), pp.285–305. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28667465/ 

[13] Scott, R., MacPherson, A., Yates, R.W., Hussain, B. and Dixon, J. (1998). The effect of oral selenium supplementation on human sperm motility. British Journal of Urology, [online] 82(1), pp.76–80. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9698665/ 

[14] 

Ho, H.-J., Shirakawa, H., Yoshida, R., Ito, A., Maeda, M., Goto, T. and Komai, M. (2016). Geranylgeraniol enhances testosterone production via the cAMP/protein kinase A pathway in testis-derived I-10 tumor cells. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 80(4), pp.791–797. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09168451.2015.1123612

[15] Blomberg Jensen, M., Lawaetz, J.G., Petersen, J.H., Juul, A. and Jørgensen, N. (2018). Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Semen Quality, Reproductive Hormones, and Live Birth Rate: A Randomized Clinical Trial. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, [online] 103(3), pp.870–881. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/103/3/870/4590227?login=true 

[16] D’Aniello, G., Ronsini, S., Guida, F., Spinelli, P. and D’Aniello, A. (2005). Occurrence of D-aspartic acid in human seminal plasma and spermatozoa: Possible role in reproduction. Fertility and Sterility, 84(5), pp.1444–1449. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16275242/

[17] Jannatifar, R., Parivar, K., Roodbari, N.H. and Nasr-Esfahani, M.H. (2019). Effects of N-acetyl-cysteine supplementation on sperm quality, chromatin integrity and level of oxidative stress in infertile men. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 17(1). Available at: https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12958-019-0468-9

[18] Lafuente, R., González-Comadrán, M., Solà, I., López, G., Brassesco, M., Carreras, R. and Checa, M.A. (2013). Coenzyme Q10 and male infertility: a meta-analysis. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, [online] 30(9), pp.1147–1156. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3800531/

[19] Imai, A., Ichigo, S., Takagi, H., Matsunami, K., Suzuki, N. and Yamamoto, A. (2010). Effects of cola intake on fertility: a review. Health, [online] 2(9), pp.997–1001. Available at: https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=2619 [Accessed 3 Sep. 2021].‌

[20] Nazni, P. (2014). Association of western diet & lifestyle with decreased fertility. The Indian Journal of Medical Research, [online] 140(Suppl 1), pp.S78–S81. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4345758/.‌

[21] Ricci, E., Viganò, P., Cipriani, S., Somigliana, E., Chiaffarino, F., Bulfoni, A. and Parazzini, F. (2017). Coffee and caffeine intake and male infertility: a systematic review. Nutrition Journal, [online] 16(1). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5482951/.‌

[22] Chavarro, J.E., Minguez-Alarcon, L., Mendiola, J., Cutillas-Tolin, A., Lopez-Espin, J.J. and Torres-Cantero, A.M. (2014). Trans fatty acid intake is inversely related to total sperm count in young healthy men. Human Reproduction, 29(3), pp.429–440. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3923511/

[23] Pizzorno, J. (2018). Environmental Toxins and Infertility. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), [online] 17(2), pp.8–11. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6396757/.‌