When trying to conceive, taking vitamins and supplements to boost fertility and overall health can help in many ways, including boosting the overall quality of a woman’s eggs and a male’s sperm, as well as the overall health of a woman’s pregnancy.

Studies show that certain nutrients may affect implantation, egg quality and ovulation, all of which play a key role in fertility. Supplementation can also prevent nutrient deficiencies and decrease oxidative stress, resulting in a shorter time to pregnancy and increased chances of conception. Ideally you should be receiving many of your daily vitamins and minerals from food sources but if not, supplements are a great addition to your diet.

Below, is a list of a few important vitamins and supplements that may give your fertility a boost and shorten the time to conception.

Acetyl L-carnitine

Acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) can help both men and women to help boost fertility. The supplement helps sperm mobility for men and contains antioxidants that help promote a healthy female reproductive system. ALC can also help improve symptoms of PCOS, endometriosis, and amenorrhea.  

Vitamin B6 and B12

B vitamins help to promote egg health and prevent ovulatory infertility, and may even improve sperm quality. B vitamins can help to lower homocysteine levels in the follicles which may improve the odds of becoming pregnant. Studies found that those who took supplemental folate and vitamins B6 and B12 lowered their homocysteine levels and also found that increased B12 intake in men resulted in improved semen quality.

Vitamin C 

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and can promote healthy reproductive systems in both men and women. For women, vitamin C can reduce the negative impact of free radicals, reducing cellular damage in the body, helping to regulate a person’s menstrual cycle and promote normal ovulation. For male fertility, taking vitamin C with vitamin E may improve the number, mobility, and sometimes DNA quality of sperm.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 (also called CoQ10) is a naturally occurring compound in humans, which has been shown to improve fertility – especially in women over 40. It may help to improve egg quality and help to thicken the uterine lining.

Ubiquinol is the “active” form of CoQ10. To put it simply, your body must convert CoQ10 to ubiquinol before use. So taking the ubiquinol form of CoQ10, may be best as your body may be able to absorb more of the active compound from the same dose. If you’re taking a Coq10 supplement, you should stop after you become pregnant.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for the development of healthy hormones, which in turn is important for fertility. Vitamin D is also thought to improve ovarian stimulation in women and semen quality in men. Studies have shown that women with low levels of vitamin D were less likely to conceive compared to those with normal levels. Additionally, vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency may be associated with miscarriage.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E works as an antioxidant and to repair cells which is exactly why it makes a great vitamin to boost fertility. Vitamin E may improve women’s overall reproductive health and egg quality. For men, it helps to boost sperm quality, according to research. It’s especially important for older (35+ years old) patients trying to get pregnant to take vitamin E.

Folic acid

Most people associate folic acid as a prenatal vitamin, but it has also been shown to increase the chances of conception, especially in women with irregular cycles. Folic acid is associated with greater chances of getting pregnant naturally and improves success for those undergoing fertility treatments. Medical professionals also recommend that men take folic acid when trying to conceive, as it can improve the quality of their sperm.

Iron

Taking an iron supplement may help women prevent iron deficiency anemia. Ovulatory infertility can be associated with an iron deficiency, and studies have shown that iron appears to decrease the risk of ovulatory infertility.

Omega-3s

Though most well-known for its positive effects on heart health and inflammation, omega-3 fatty acids may have an impact on fertility as well. Studies show these healthy fats can help balance levels of reproductive hormones, regulate menstruation and improve egg quality and implantation. If you are getting your Omega-3s via a supplement, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), is the most accessible for your body to absorb and use.

Selenium

Selenium helps to promote healthy uterine follicles, where the eggs are developed and released. It’s also a great one for men as well. Low selenium in men can lead to lowered sperm mobility and quality.

Zinc

Low levels of zinc are associated with a longer time to conceive. So sufficient levels of zinc may help with egg development and fertilization as well as higher quality sperm.

DHEA

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone whose job is to help produce other hormones. DHEA is naturally produced in the brain, ovaries/testicles and adrenal gland and it helps the body to produce estrogen and testosterone. DHEA levels in the body naturally peak around early adulthood and fall with age.

There is some limited evidence that DHEA may help improve pregnancy rates for women with a low ovarian reserve and help increase pregnancy rates during IVF. Some research shows that there were higher follicle counts, more eggs retrieved, and lower doses of medication required for IVF patients using DHEA before their cycles.

Vitex or Chasteberry

This supplement is called by many names, but the two most common are “vitex,” from the scientific name of the tree (Vitex agnus-castus), and “chasteberry.

It is used as a fertility supplement that lowers prolactin levels and a treatment for menstrual period irregularity. Prolactin is a hormone that helps the body produce breast milk; it also inhibits the hormones that trigger ovulation, which is why people who are breastfeeding are less likely to get pregnant.

 There’s some evidence that using vitex as a fertility supplement can help increase pregnancy rates and lower unnecessarily high prolactin levels, treating luteal phase defects - a condition in which the luteal phase (the section of the menstrual cycle between ovulation and the next period) is too short, not enough progesterone is produced, and the uterine lining doesn’t develop enough to support a fertilized egg for pregnancy.

Inositol

Inositol is a type of sugar found in foods such as nuts and beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, and grains. Inositol plays several important roles in the body.

Of particular interest is it’s role in mediating insulin - a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps the body utilize sugar from food – which can have a positive effect for people with PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome.

PCOS is a hormone disorder that disrupts the ovulation process and is closely tied to insulin resistance and obesity. Because inositol is known to reduce blood sugar and excess insulin, it may be effective at improving insulin resistance and the symptoms of PCOS. While inositol isn’t appropriate for everyone, for the sub-group of women dealing with fertility issues as a result of PCOS, it has promise as a way to improve menstrual cycles and increase pregnancy chances.

Royal Jelly

There aren’t a lot of published studies of the effects of royal jelly on humans however a queen bee with a strict diet of the "superfood" royal jelly can lay 2,000 eggs per day or more. Royal jelly is rich in carbs, protein, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals and there may, indeed, be benefits to be had by using royal jelly to help with fertility. 

Taking these vitamins and supplements can be beneficial before conception to help boost fertility. It’s important to talk to your doctor about what supplements might be right for you, and how they can increase the chance of conception and a successful pregnancy.