Nutrition and lifestyle determine a person’s health in all areas. According to reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO), ‘a healthy diet helps protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer’. Major players in fertility and reproductive health, a healthy and balanced diet accompanied by a healthy lifestyle will help increase the quality and morphology of eggs and sperm, among other functions.
However, nowadays, the excessive amount of processed – or ultra-processed – foods we consume each week puts at considerable risk the achievement of an optimal and healthy diet that benefits fertility. The same goes for bad lifestyle habits such as smoking – it is true that each generation smokes less than its predecessor – or alcohol consumption, which have a direct impact on male and female fertility.
These two variables, nutrition and lifestyle, are fundamental to address and take care of when someone enters into fertility treatment. Such is the case that a study published in the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (2018) showed that ‘women who followed a Mediterranean diet before undergoing IVF had a 66% higher embryo implantation success rate and a higher pregnancy rate compared to those who ate a Western diet rich in ultra-processed foods’.
Following a Mediterranean diet can favourably influence fertility in healthy women. In addition, most cases of infertility due to ovulation disorders can be prevented by diet and lifestyle modifications, according to the US National Institute of Health.
Recommendations
As we have been introduced through various studies, nutrition plays a fundamental role in fertility. Although the Mediterranean diet is the best guide to a balanced diet, we will now look at the essential nutrients we should take if we are undergoing fertility treatment, which is the subject of this article.
A proper balance of macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) can promote reproductive success. Highlights:
-Folic acid (Vitamin B9): Adequate folic acid improves oocyte quality and reduces the risk of chromosomal abnormalities. It also helps prevent complications in pregnancy, prevents neural tube defects in the foetus and may help ovulation. It is recommended even before conception. Can be found in foods such as broccoli, spinach, avocado, asparagus…
-Omega 3: Omega 3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that help regulate reproductive hormones. In men, they improve sperm motility, while in women they favour a better ovarian response. It can also help to improve seminal parameters and promote ovulation. It is found in the tissues of oily fish, some seafood, hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts.
-Zinc: This mineral helps male fertility by playing a key role in testosterone production and sperm formation.
This mineral is found in natural sources such as seafood, nuts, pulses and red meat.
-Vitamin D: Fundamental in In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatments, it affects the production of oestrogen and progesterone. Numerous studies have linked vitamin D levels to improved reproductive capacity in both men and women.
Sunlight, salmon and eggs are rich sources of Vitamin D.
Prohibitions
While we have discussed the nutrients that most promote improved reproductive health and fertility, there are also foods that can cause a risk to fertility.
According to a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, ‘frequent consumption of industrial pastries, fried foods and processed snacks increases the risk of infertility by 38%’. Caffeine (more than two cups of coffee per day) and alcohol consumption (more than seven units per week) can significantly affect male and female fertility.
Healthy lifestyle: impact on fertility
A healthy nutrition and lifestyle has a significant impact on human health, including fertility. Moderate physical exercise accompanied by balanced sleep exponentially increases success rates in fertility treatments. Therefore, if you are thinking of starting a family (whether or not through assisted reproduction), it is essential to take these two factors into account.
Physical exercise: benefits and recommendations
Physical exercise has multiple benefits for health in general, and for fertility in particular, although it all depends on its intensity and duration.
Moderate physical activity helps to maintain adequate levels of oestrogen, progesterone and insulin. This is particularly important for women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
In addition, sports practice improves blood circulation, which favours embryo implantation (in women) and testosterone production (in men).
Special mention should be made of the control of body weight. The moderate practice of physical exercise reduces the body mass index (BMI), which improves fertility and the success rate in assisted reproduction treatments. This is why obesity or being overweight, as well as being below the minimum healthy weight indexes, are negative conditions for fertility and can be improved thanks to sport.
As with everything in life, too much always leads to problems. The same applies to the relationship between physical exercise and fertility. Excessive exercise (either prolonged high intensity or longer than normal training sessions) is synonymous with a risk to reproductive health due to:
- Reduction of oestrogen and progesterone, causing anovulatory cycles.
- Alterations in the luteal phase, making implantation difficult.
- In men, it decreases testosterone and affects sperm production.
Importance of sleep in reproductive health
Although we have not mentioned it before, sleep also has a lot to do with fertility and hormone regulation.
Optimising sleep to 7-9 hours a day, avoiding pre-sleep mobile phone use or a routine sleep schedule, as well as avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime are key to taking better care of reproductive health. In fact, one study showed that ‘women who slept less than 7 hours a night had a 15% lower embryo implantation rate in IVF treatments’.
After this exposition of the benefits and prejudices of nutrition and lifestyle during fertility treatments, we advise you to follow this guide to improve and increase your success rate. If you want to improve your fertility with a holistic approach, at Ovoclinic we offer you personalised advice – Contact us!
Bibliography
-Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements (n.d.). Omega-3 fatty acids. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved February 26, 2025, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-DatosEnEspanol/
-World Health Organization. (n.d.). Healthy diet. World Health Organization. Retrieved February 26, 2025, from https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
-Nutrition and fertility: some iconoclastic results12 Correa, H et al. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 31, Issue 8, 1431 – 1436
-Mateos-Lardiés AM, López-García P, Morillo D, Olaya B, Tobiasz-Adamczyk B, Koskinen S, Leonardi M, Haro JM, Chatterji S, Ayuso-Mateos JL, Cabello M, Miret M. Relationship between healthy lifestyles and subjective well-being: a European observational study. Rev Esp Public Health. 2022; 96: Oct 19 e202210078. sanidad.gob.es/resp
-Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Diet and lifestyle in the prevention of ovulatory disorder infertility. Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Nov;110(5):1050-8. doi: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000287293.25465.e1. PMID: 17978119.
