Your Key to Success with The Fertility Diet

Beyond eating a nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory diet, there are several interesting links between specific foods and nutrients and their potential impact on fertility in both women and men. These include regularly enjoying seafood, getting enough Vitamin B12, and reducing intake of trans fats and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Enjoy seafood weekly

At least one study shows that couples who ate more seafood got pregnant sooner than those who rarely ate seafood. The best results with the shortest time to pregnancy were achieved when both partners consumed eight 4-ounce servings during each menstrual cycle. The average menstrual cycle is about four weeks, so the seafood intake goal, according to this study, is about two servings per week. Over 90 percent of the couples who enjoyed eight or more servings per cycle got pregnant within 12 months, compared to 79 percent of those who ate seafood less often. 

This link between seafood and pregnancy may be related to the positive effects the omega-3 fatty acids have on ovulation, menstrual cycles, and sperm quality, although researchers aren’t completely sure. 

When choosing seafood for a healthy pregnancy, it’s important to keep in mind that not all seafood is created equal. If you are trying to get pregnant, focus on seafood that is lower in persistent environmental chemicals and mercury. This means eating salmon, sardines, scallops, and shrimp, while staying away from larger, predatory fish like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. It’s also recommended to avoid raw seafood during pregnancy as it may pose a risk of bacteria or viruses.

Get enough Vitamin B12

Women undergoing assisted reproductive technology who have higher levels of Vitamin B12 are more likely to have a successful pregnancy than those with lower levels of Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 supplements may help fertility by increasing sperm number and quality and protecting sperm cells from DNA damage. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, adults should aim for 2.4 mcg of Vitamin B12 each day; 2.6 mcg if pregnant, and 2.8 mcg if breastfeeding. Vitamin B12 is naturally present in animal foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy), fortified breakfast cereals, and nutritional yeasts; however, the body is able to absorb more Vitamin B12 from dietary supplements than from foods.

Reduce intake of artificial trans fats

In addition to getting more healthy omega-3 fats from seafood, reducing intake of less-healthy trans fats may help with fertility as well. According to researchers at Harvard, trans fats are related to lower fertility in women and lower semen quality in men.

Trans fats are naturally found in dairy and meat from ruminant animals, however they’re also artificially created when unsaturated fats are processed to become partially hydrogenated. Hydrogenation is done during the manufacturing process to change liquid oils into solid fats at room temperature. The good news is that these artificial trans fats (“partially hydrogenated oils”) are being phased out of the food supply in the U.S. because of their detrimental effects on heart health. When it comes to trans fats in dairy, there do not seem to be any negative effects on fertility for women who regularly consume dairy products.

Cut down on sodas and energy drinks

Several 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 drink them. The reduced fertility was found at levels as low as seven drinks per week (about one per day). The good news is that these fertility effects do not seem to translate to those who enjoy diet sodas and fruit juice.

A possible reason for this link may be that sugar may interfere with women’s reproductive hormones, egg maturation, and ovulation, while in men, there is a lower sperm concentration.