About 15-25 percent of couples face challenges conceiving after trying for 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse. If you're among them, you're not alone, and there's encouraging news: growing research suggests that nutrition plays a vital role in improving fertility for both women and men. Simple dietary changes could help increase your chances of conception and support your reproductive health.
The Anti-inflammatory Foundation: Best Foods For Fertility
The cornerstone of fertility nutrition is adopting an anti-inflammatory eating pattern. While inflammation helps your body heal from injuries and infections, chronic low-grade inflammation can impact fertility in several ways:
For women, inflammation can:
- Disrupt regular ovulation and menstrual cycles
- Contribute to endometriosis
- Reduce the likelihood of successful egg implantation
- Increase the risk of miscarriage
For men, inflammation can affect both sperm quality and quantity.
Research shows that people who eat more inflammatory diets (high in fast foods and sugary drinks, low in fruits and vegetables) may take longer to become pregnant than those with healthier dietary patterns. Studies consistently demonstrate that couples who follow anti-inflammatory dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, often have greater success conceiving. Women who embrace this eating style as the best foods for fertility, are about half as likely to seek medical help for fertility issues, while men show improved sperm quality and quantity.
Anti-inflammatory diets like the Mediterranean, Prudent, Nordic, and Okinawan diets share common elements:
- Abundant fruits and vegetables
- Regular consumption of legumes
- Whole grains
- Lean poultry
- Optional fish
- Nuts and seeds
- Olive or canola oil
- Soy-based foods
- Limited dairy products
- Minimal red or processed meats
- Reduced intake of sweets
These dietary patterns are naturally high in:
- Unsaturated and omega-3 fats
- Fibre
- Essential vitamins and minerals
- And low in sugars, refined carbohydrates, and saturated and trans fats
Key Nutritional Strategies for Both Partners
1. Embrace Seafood
Studies reveal that couples who consume seafood regularly conceive sooner than those who rarely eat it. The optimal amount appears to be eight 4-ounce servings during each menstrual cycle (approximately two servings per week). Over 90% of couples who ate eight or more servings per cycle conceived within 12 months, compared to 79% of those who ate less seafood.
Interestingly, couples who consumed more seafood also reported more frequent sexual intercourse, which may contribute to higher conception rates.
When selecting seafood, focus on options lower in environmental chemicals and mercury:
Recommended choices:
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Scallops
- Shrimp
Avoid:
- Shark
- Swordfish
- King mackerel
- Tilefish
Important note: If you're trying to conceive, avoid raw seafood as it may carry harmful bacteria or viruses.
2. Optimise Vitamin B12 Intake
Vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in fertility for both partners. Women undergoing assisted reproductive technology show higher success rates with adequate B12 levels. For men, B12 supplements may help increase sperm numbers, improve quality, and protect sperm cells from DNA damage.
Daily recommended intake:
- Adults: 2.4 mcg
- Pregnant women: 2.6 mcg
- Breastfeeding women: 2.8 mcg
Natural sources include:
- Animal foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy)
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Nutritional yeasts
Note that the body typically absorbs Vitamin B12 more effectively from supplements than from food sources.
3. Minimise Harmful Elements
Two key factors to reduce:
Trans Fats:
Harvard researchers have linked trans fats to reduced fertility in women and lower semen quality in men. While naturally occurring trans fats in dairy products appear safe, avoid artificial trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) in processed foods. The good news is that these artificial trans fats are being phased out of the U.S. food supply due to their negative effects on heart health.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages:
Studies show that both women and men who consume sugar-sweetened beverages—especially sodas or energy drinks—tend to have lower fertility than those who don't. The negative impact appears at consumption levels as low as seven drinks per week (about one per day). The mechanism may involve sugar interfering with:
- Women's reproductive hormones
- Egg maturation
- Ovulation
- Men's sperm concentration
Women-Specific Nutrition Strategies
Folate: Your Fertility Friend
Recent Harvard studies show that women who take multivitamins containing folate experience:
- More regular ovulation
- Shorter time to pregnancy
- Reduced risk of neural tube defects in early pregnancy
Folate (Vitamin B9) works by supporting enzyme functions essential for DNA and RNA synthesis in the body, which is crucial for optimal reproduction. Some women may need higher doses than average, so consulting with a healthcare provider for personalised recommendations is important.
Soy Isoflavones: A Surprising Ally
Despite previous concerns raised by animal studies, human research shows that soy consumption may actually support fertility, particularly for women using fertility treatments. As the main source of plant-based oestrogens, soy appears to have beneficial effects on reproductive health. Growing evidence links soy and isoflavone supplements with successful pregnancies, especially when combined with fertility treatments.
Men-Specific Nutrition Strategies
Antioxidant Power
Men can benefit significantly from antioxidant supplementation. Decreased antioxidant levels have been linked to:
- DNA damage in sperm
- Membrane damage
- Reduced sperm motility
Key antioxidants that may improve semen quality include:
- Vitamins C and E
- Beta-carotene (pre-vitamin A)
- Folate
- Coenzyme Q10
- Selenium
- Zinc
Important note: Very high levels of antioxidants may be detrimental, so professional guidance for supplementation is recommended.
Putting It All Together
A fertility-supporting diet should incorporate:
- A nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory eating pattern
- Regular consumption of low-mercury seafood
- Adequate Vitamin B12 through food and/or supplements
- Minimal intake of artificial trans fats
- Replacement of sugary beverages with water or other healthy alternatives
- For women: adequate folate supplementation and consider incorporating soy foods
- For men: appropriate antioxidant supplementation under professional guidance
Remember, while nutrition is a powerful tool for supporting fertility, it's just one piece of the puzzle. Working with healthcare providers to create a comprehensive fertility plan is essential for addressing your unique needs and circumstances.
Medical Disclaimer: While nutrition can play an important role in fertility, it is not the only factor and should not be used as a method of birth control. Please consult with your healthcare professional to discuss your personal reproductive health needs and goals.
References
Alesi, S., Villani, A., Mantzioris, E., Takele, W. W., Cowan, S., Moran, L. J., & Mousa, A. (2022). Anti-Inflammatory Diets in Fertility: An Evidence Review. Nutrients, 14(19), 3914.
Aoun, A., Khoury, V. E., & Malakieh, R. (2021). Can Nutrition Help in the Treatment of Infertility?. Preventive nutrition and food science, 26(2), 109-120.
Gaskins, A. J., & Chavarro, J. E. (2018). Diet and fertility: a review. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 218(4), 379-389.
Gaskins, A. J., Sundaram, R., Buck Louis, G. M., & Chavarro, J. E. (2018). Seafood Intake, Sexual Activity, and Time to Pregnancy. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 103(7), 2680-2688.
Hatch, E. E., Wesselink, A. K., Hahn, K. A., Michiel, J. J., Mikkelsen, E. M., Sorensen, H. T., Rothman, K. J., & Wise, L. A. (2018). Intake of Sugar-sweetened Beverages and Fecundability in a North American Preconception Cohort. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), 29(3), 369-378.
Mayo Clinic. (2021). Pregnancy and fish: What's safe to eat?
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. (2022). Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
Shmerling, R. H. and Shmerling A. (2020). Fertility and diet: Is there a connection?
United States Food and Drug Administration. (2018). Trans fats.
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