ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS FOR EGG AND SPERM health

Did you know the sperm development cycle is roughly 74 days and that the female egg takes roughly 90 days to reach maturation?

THIS is why our nutrition when trying to convince truly does matter, and you ideally want to start your prenatal vitamin 90 days prior to conception. If you are already pregnant and did not do these things – don’t fret. Your body has stores of the essential nutrients required to grow and nourish a developing baby. However, if you have struggled with conception or want to ensure you are doing everything possible to prepare your body for conception I highly recommend ensuring you are filling up on the following key nutrients.

FOLATE
The key ingredient for preconception is a good quality METHYLATED prenatal vitamin that contains FOLATE as opposed to folic acid. Folic acid is a man made synthetic form of the B vitamin most essential for developing a healthy fetus. Our bodies must convert folic acid into folate in order for it to be properly utilized. Sounds easy, right? Well, a large percentage of the population has a genetic predisposition that reduces their ability to convert folic acid into something that our bodies can actually absorb. For this reason you want to look for a prenatal vitamin that your body will utilize best by looking for one that contains folate / 5-MTHF. Folate / B9 helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects and supports the formation of red blood cells

ZINC & SELENIUM
For men it is advised you consume a supplement containing zinc and selenium prior to and while trying to conceive. Zinc increases sperm motility, quality and production, while selenium encourages the sperm not to all clump together. - which enhances chances of conception. Zinc and selenium are also beneficial for women as selenium supports thyroid health which is crucial for conception (not to mention for the developing baby!) and zinc aids in follicle and uterine health, hormone regulation, and the production of mature eggs for fertilization.

A,D,E & K
I highly encourage healthy fat-soluble vitamins in the diet like A, D, E and K. Some of my favoUrite sources are grass fed butter or grass fed ghee, pasture raised eggs and organic coconut milk. Fat soluble vitamins help to regulate cell growth and are critical for creating sex hormones, which essentially play a role in ovulation as well as nourish the endocrine system. If supplementing with vitamin D it is best to take it in its active form which is D3.

OMEGA - 3s
Fish oils and Omega 3 fatty acids are another absolutely crucial ingredient in preparing the body for conception and nourishing it all the way through to postpartum and beyond. As mentioned above, fats are essential for the production of sex hormones and Omega 3 fatty acids are especially important for fertility. They improve egg quality, are a key component to fetal brain development and have been scientifically proven to reduce the risk of postpartum depression.

CoQ10
CoQ10 is another crucial nutrient for preconception due to its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect both eggs and sperm from free radical damage. It is also advised that we detox our bodies when working up to conception in order to create the most nourishing habit for baby to be.

PROBIOTICS
Recent studies show Probiotic supplementation in men lead to a significant increase in sperm concentration and motility as well as a significant reduction in oxidative stress and inflammatory markers. Therefore, oral intake of probiotics has the potential to be one of the ways to deal with oxidative damage of sperm.
Probiotics are also crucial in woman
Did you know when baby passes through the vaginal canal during delivery, its microbiome is being “seeded” with the same gut bugs that Mom has in her digestive tract? Pretty amazing stuff. That is why it is so important to work on creating a healthy gut flora for yourself pre conception and throughout pregnancy.

If you have already conceived and are wondering about which nutrients are not to be missed please don’t hesitate to reach out as each stage of pregnancy and postpartum requires certain nutrients in order for us to thrive.