Fertility is your measure of reproductive health. It influences your ability to conceive, sexual health and much more important on a personal level. Good fertility ensures positive relationship with yourself as well as your partner.
Unlike the focus we give to our lifestyle disorders and correcting the disease condition, fertility is often neglected by most. The people with diagnosed reproductive disorders are the most concerned and attentive towards their fertility.
Now there are various general factors that deteriorate fertility and those are age, weight, smoking and alcohol. To ensure optimum fertility and rock your sex life, take a note of these 10 nutrients that you should be incorporating in the daily diet.
Nutrients important for optimum fertility:
#1 Zinc
Zinc is essential for both male and female fertility. Zinc helps produce eggs and eggs to mature, and regulate hormone during menstrual cycle, In men it boosts the level, quality and function of sperm.
Sources: dairy products, eggs, whole grains, legumes, seed, nuts.
#2 Selenium
Selenium deficiencies may lead to gestational complications, miscarriages and the damaging of the nervous and immune systems of the fetus. A low concentration of selenium in blood serum in the early stage of pregnancy has been proved to be a predictor of low birth weight of a newborn.
A deficiency of this element may also cause infertility in men by causing a deterioration in the quality of semen and in sperm motility. For this reason, supplementation in the case of selenium deficiencies in the procreation period of both women and men is of utmost significance.
Sources: Brazil nut, tuna, sardine, chicken, cottage cheese, whole grains.
#3 Omega-3
Omega-3 ensures better quality of female eggs and leads to higher chances of fertilization. It also prolongs reproductive age in females . Omega- 3 fats may also lower levels of inflammation that can adversely affect ovarian function.
Sources: Walnut, sardine, mackerel, chiaseed, flaxseed.
#4 L-carnitine
L-Carnitine is concentrated in the epididymis, where sperm mature and acquire their motility. Amino acid which boosts testosterone level and is linked to sperm mobility and health.
Sources: Avocado, Beef, Pork, Milk, Fish.
#5 Vitamin B12
The beneficial effects of vitamin B12 on semen quality may be due to increased functionality of reproductive organs, decreased homocysteine toxicity, reduced amounts of generated nitric oxide, decreased levels of oxidative damage to sperm, reduced amount of energy produced by spermatozoa, decreased inflammation-induced semen impairment, and control of nuclear factor-κB activation.
Sources: beef, sardine, clams, milk, dairy, Spirulina, Fortified cereal, milk, yeast
#6 Beta-carotene
Beta-carotene helps sperm swim towards egg and improves sperm performance.
Sources: carrot, sweet potato, dark leafy vegetables, lettuce, red and yellow pepper, broccoli.
#7 Vitamin E
Vitamin E is essential for sperm production.
Sources: Sunflower seed, Almond, Wheatgerm oil, sunflower oil, Hazelnut, Pine nut, Avocado.
#8 Iron
Iron lowers the risk of ovulatory infertility and is needed during pregnancy.
Sources: Lentils, beetroot, sweet potato, chicken liver, fish, eggs, chickpeas, raisins , dates.
#9 Vitamin D
Vitamin D improves success rates in both in vitro fertilization (IVF) as well as transfer of frozen donor egg embryos.
Although the data for vitamin D and fertility is not conclusive, several studies have found that vitamin D blood levels of 30 ng/mL or higher are associated with higher pregnancy rates.
Sources: Salmon, crimini mushroom, fortified milk, orange juice, cereal and dairy
#10 Vitamin B6-
Vitamin B6 plays an important role in maintaining and balancing the hormones oestrogen and progesterone for fertility and maintains regular menstrual cycle.
In males it improves sperm quality and development, In females it improves good egg quality increasing your chances for conception.
Vitamin B6 is known to strengthen the luteal phase. By this, it means that it makes your uterus more receptive to the factors of pregnancy.
Adequate amounts of Vitamin B6 in your body can generate hormones that make the uterine lining stronger and increase the levels of progesterone, thereby increasing your chances of conception.Vitamin B6 also restores libido due to increase in progesterone hormone.
Sources: Banana, Milk, Tuna, Eggs, Carrot, Spinach, Sweet potato.
Ryan Fernando is an Award-winning celebrity Sports Nutritionist with 2GUINNESS world record and 2 Olympic medals under his belt. His client list include Olympic wrestler Sushil Kumar, cricketer Shikhar Dhawan & bollywood superstars Aamir Khan & Abhishek Bachchan. He is Chief Nutritionist at QUA Nutrition Signature Clinics.
References:
Pieczyńska J, Grajeta H. The role of selenium in human conception and pregnancy [Internet]. Vol. 29, Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. Elsevier GmbH; 2015 [cited 2020 Feb 15]. p. 31–8. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25175508
Fallah A, Mohammad-Hasani A, Colagar AH. Zinc is an essential element for male fertility: A review of zn roles in men’s health, germination, sperm quality, and fertilization. Vol. 19, Journal of Reproduction and Infertility. Avicenna Research Institute; 2018. p. 69–81.
Nehra D, Le HD, Fallon EM, Carlson SJ, Woods D, White YA, et al. Prolonging the female reproductive lifespan and improving egg quality with dietary omega-3 fatty acids. Aging Cell. 2012 Dec;11(6):1046–54.
Agarwal A, Sengupta P, Durairajanayagam D. Role of L-carnitine in female infertility. Vol. 16, Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. BioMed Central Ltd.; 2018.
Banihani SA. Vitamin B12 and semen quality. Vol. 7, Biomolecules. MDPI AG; 2017.
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