When you and your partner are having difficulty conceiving, you will be talking about several options with your doctor on how to increase your chances. Without a doubt prenatal vitamins and fertility supplements for women will dominate a large part of the conversation.
First let’s separate the vitamins from the supplements. Vitamins are more centered around generic daily values. Basically, you can take any vitamins you want but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting the exact target ingredient you need to help with reproduction. While prenatal vitamins have been proven effective you should consider this fact: fertility doctors say that 90-95% of pregnant women become deficient in at least one key nutrient. Your prenatal fertility routine should be focused on what is missing specifically in pregnant women and nothing generic.
Like vitamins, supplements can be naturally-occurring but they can also be synthetic chemicals taken to compliment your diet. More specifically, supplements can provide more specialized ingredients centered on reproductive needs.
To fully understand the benefit of supplements, it is time for a crash course in fertility science. Here are five of the top ways that fertility supplements can help you.
Choline
The first ingredient we need to discuss is Choline. It is a compound similar to B vitamins which play a big role in the overall functions of the body.
Choline is found in many foods and is needed for the brain and nervous system. It regulates memory, mood, and muscle control. More importantly, choline helps form the membrane that surrounds your body’s cells. This supports brain-building at the very early stages and is recommended for any woman trying to get pregnant regardless of fertility issues. Choline also helps to prevent neural tube defects; these are defects of the spine, spinal cord, or brain. The body also needs Choline for metabolism, cell structure, and the central nervous system! It is important to note that our bodies cannot produce enough Choline naturally and we require it from our diet. Here is a startling fact: over 95% of pregnant and nursing women do not meet their daily requirement of Choline (450-550mg), even taking prenatal vitamins.It is easy to see why Choline is one of the key ingredients in supplements that can help with fertility.
Ubiquinol (CoQ10)
Ubiquinol and CoQ10 are used interchangeably but are different in how they apply fertility support to women and men.
CoQ10 is responsible for the creation of 95% of our body’s energy. It is essential for the growth of cells. Ubiquinol is an active form of CoQ10 and an ingredient of fertility supplements for women. Egg and sperm health require significant cellular energy. Levels of CoQ10 and Ubiquinol start to decline in both men and women as they age and are a valuable ingredient to be found in men’s supplements also.
Vitamins D3 & K2
Vitamins D3 and K2 regulate calcium and phosphorus in the body which support the mother’s teeth and bones as well as the development of the baby’s. These vitamins also support maintenance of the body’s Vitamin D levels which contribute to the overall reproductive health of both men and women. It has been reported that over 70% of the U.S. population do not get enough Vitamin D exposure from sun or diet. For fertility reasons (and overall health reasons when trying to conceive), your supplement should have these super ingredients.
Vitamin K2 assists in the synthesis of insulin and increases its sensitivity in order to protect your body and the baby’s from diabetes. It is also a difficult ingredient to get as even though K2 can be found in many foods such as cheeses and other dairy products, that’s no guarantee they are rich in Vitamin K2. A good fertility supplement can easily reach this often overlooked essential ingredient.
DHEA
As women, we are aware our bodies also produce testosterone, but did you know those levels also decrease with age? DHEA is a natural hormone precursor that produces testosterone. Women with a low ovarian reserve are likely to have low testosterone levels.
The largest cell in the human body is the egg, and DHEA is an essential ingredient to support overall egg health. A fertility supplement with DHEA can assist with healthy androgen levels which are critical to the growth and development of eggs. DHEA even goes further to support the ovaries where eggs pass through maturation before menstruation.
New things are learned every day about the best supplements and vitamins available to support you before, during, and after pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins are definitely beneficial, but you might want to consider the next step with fertility supplements. Ensuring these five essential ingredients are part of your pre and postnatal diet, will go a long way in supporting your fertility needs and overall reproductive health.
