Health Conditions : Fertility

Infertility can be a source of great anxiety and distress, and it is important to ensure the body is in good order for fertility to be optimum.

Women

Having an optimal weight is vitally important as being both under and overweight needs attention.

There is a strong link with high BMI and polycystic ovarian syndrome, menstrual irregularity, infrequent ovulation, endometriosis and increased risk of miscarriage.

Women who have a high BMI also have a significantly lower chance of success with IUI or IVF treatment.

Being underweight also makes pregnancy difficult to achieve and maintain because your body is likely to be depleted of the nutrients and energy needed to support the body changes that are required for the pregnancy. If you are underweight then your body raises a hormone called prolactin to suppress ovulation so that fertilisation can’t take place, it does this to protect the mothers health.

There are several herbs and nutrients recommend to help restore your hormonal balance. These include agnus castus, dong quai, soy isoflavones, magnesium, vitamin B6 and zinc. Also we can help and advise you on dietary and lifestyle changes that are known to help restore female hormone balance and overcome conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids and PCOS.

Male

Understanding sperm count

It’s generally considered that you need a sperm count of at least 20 million per ml to achieve natural conception and of course it’s not just the number important. According to the World Health Organisation, to maximise your fertility at least 30% need to be of normal shape and form, and 50% should be actively moving. Sperm count can vary greatly for an individual, even over just a few days which is why it’s important to get at least 2-3 samples analysed, spaced 2-3 weeks apart.

The most common cause of male infertility is an obstruction in the tubes that carry sperm or testicular injury. It can also be caused by sperm disorders, genetic irregularities, hormonal problems, erectile dysfunction, disease, ill health and as a side effect of medication. Needless to say, the usual suspects, poor diet, smoking, alcohol and recreational drugs also play a part in lowering sperm count and quality.

Improving sperm health

Sperm production is driven by the male hormone testosterone. Being exposed to long term stress can result in adrenal exhaustion, this can suppress testosterone production and result in reduced sperm quantity and quality.

Using our Adrenal Stress Test, we can assess whether the stress you experiencing is affecting your physiology and production of testosterone.
There are many nutritional factors which influence sperm production. Studies have linked both omega-3 fatty acids and zinc deficiencies to low sperm count. Zinc is needed for healthy testosterone production. The protein arginine has also been shown to be involved with sperm cell production. CoQ10, a powerful antioxidant involved in cellular metabolism, has been shown to increase sperm count and motility and vitamin C protects sperm from toxic damage and decay whilst actively preventing agglutination or clumping, a condition where sperm cells literally stick to each other.

So if you can clean up your lifestyle and reduce your alcohol intake, stop smoking, reduce the amount of stress you are exposed, and eat a healthy balanced diet full of nutrient rich foods, you can start to increase your sperm quantity and quality.

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