Guest Blog by Marcela De Vivo, a freelance health & wellness writer from Los Angeles. She covers everything from skincare and supplements, to fitness, holistic wellness, and special needs issues.
Those looking to have a baby can help encourage the cause by eating right, exercising and avoiding things such as alcohol and smoking.
Unfortunately, although a majority of couples trying to have a child are already aware of these things, they’re still not able to conceive successfully.
If you are currently in this situation, there are a variety of vitamins and supplements that can help both the man and the woman increase their fertility and improve their odds of becoming pregnant. Since it’s just a matter of buying a vitamin supplement, most of which are natural and have few–if any–side effects, it’s definitely worth a try.
Best Vitamins and Herbs for Women
There are some supplements that both men and women should take up front. In addition to these supplements, there are some others that are uniquely helpful to women and men individually.
We’ll start with a few supplements that are specifically helpful in terms of increasing fertility in women:
- Calcium — Doctors recommend that women who are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant should consume about 1000 mg of calcium every day. As this is a high amount, it may be difficult getting this much calcium through food alone, therefore, consuming this amount through a multivitamin or prenatal formula is a good idea. Drinking milk and eating dark, leafy greens is also encouraged.
- Folic Acid — Folic acid is considered a no-brainer, even if you’re just a woman of childbearing age who plans to get pregnant in the future. Folic acid is made up of a B-complex vitamin that helps the body create red blood cells. It will also assist in the production of extra blood cells during pregnancy. Folic acid may also reduce the risk of certain spinal cord problems for the baby. You can get your daily intake of daily folic acid by eating citrus fruits, grains and dark leafy greens. Folic acid in capsule form is also another option.
- Omega 3 Free Fatty Acid — Omega 3 Fatty Acids are not naturally produced by your body, therefore you will have to get these nutrients through food or a supplement. Studies have shown that this particular supplement helps with embryo development and quality.
What these vitamins will essentially do for women is better prepare their bodies to be pregnant, which can help with the process of conception, both directly and indirectly. If your diet is healthy and you’re paying attention to when you are ovulating, taking the proper supplements should be enough to give your body just one more nudge in the right direction.
Best Vitamins and Herbs for Men
Statistically speaking, a man has about a 1 in 10 chance of having a low sperm count, which can negatively impact his fertility. If a couple is having trouble getting pregnant, this could definitely be the culprit. It is a good idea to get the sperm count checked; that way, you can at least rule it out as the underlying problem.
Regardless of whether or not a low sperm count is the problem, the following supplements can help increase fertility in men:
- Vitamin E — Vitamin E is an excellent source of antioxidants and, in many studies, it has shown to improve sperm quality.
- Vitamin C — Like Vitamin E, vitamin C provides much-needed antioxidants, having the same positive effect on a man’s sperm. You can get vitamin C through fruits, like oranges and strawberries, or you can just take a supplement.
- L-carnitine — This is something you’ll need to get in a supplement form, but in many cases, it can enhance sperm’s motility.
Vitamins that Work for Both Men and Women
In addition to what we have already covered, these supplements can help treat infertility in both men and women. It is recommended that they should be taken regularly by couples who are trying or planning to get pregnant:
- Zinc — Both partners should be getting plenty of zinc in their diet as it helps ovulation and fertility in women. It also increases semen and testosterone production in men.
- Coenzyme Q10 — Usually shortened to “CoQ10”, this supplement has shown in studies to both increase sperm count in men and increase egg quality in women.
By improving the quality of your diet, exercising regularly and taking the recommended supplements, couples trying to conceive may be able to increase their chances of becoming pregnant.
Nicky says
This was very helpful I was wondering why im nt getting preg so now I know what to do and I believe I will get preg
kyle johnson says
My sister has been wanting to have a baby for a very long time. It was interesting to learn how vitamin E can help to improve the quality of one’s sperm. I hope this article can help my sister to get the baby that she has always wanted.