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Lifestyle Factors Affecting Fertility

by | Jan 29, 2025 | FG Staff Blog

Lifestyle Factors Affecting Fertility

Fertility is defined as the capacity to produce offspring and it serves as an assessment of how our bodies are digesting food, using nutrients, detoxing and balancing hormones.

A variety of lifestyle factors affecting fertility exist in both men and women. These may include chronic stress, age, drug and/or substance use, presence of chronic disease, weight, poor gut health, thyroid dysfunction, blood sugar imbalance, undereating or lack of nutrients and impaired detox pathways.

Dietary Lifestyle

Prolonged or poorly monitored extreme/limiting diets may lead to challenges surrounding blood sugar imbalance and nutrient deficiencies due to lack of food or more specifically lack of nutrient-dense foods. This becomes increasingly relevant if/when they are implemented for an extended duration and/or levels of key nutrients are not being tracked or measured. One of the most common dietary trends in recent years is intermittent fasting. In intermittent fasting, the main emphasis is on *when* you eat vs *what* you eat, restricting the eating window and/or cutting calories on certain days. It is believed that this approach helps to balance blood sugar and gives the body a chance to rest, repair, and regenerate due to decreased demands on digestion.

If food timing and selection i.e. both when and what are being monitored and ideally tracked, this may be helpful for managing an individual’s weight and conditions such as PCOS, diabetes, obesity and heart disease. However, studies have shown conflicting results and it is critical to discuss with a health provider to determine if it is suitable for you. The simplest approach to setting yourself up for the day with balanced blood sugar levels is to begin the day with a high-protein (between 30g and 50g) savoury breakfast that prioritizes whole foods and limits processed/refined sugars.

Supplements To Support Blood Sugar Balance

Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress is an imbalance of antioxidants and free radicals in the body. Free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage cells in the body and cause illness and distinct signs of aging. In terms of their chemical structure, they are missing an electron which means they must ‘steal’ from stable molecules in order to stabilize themselves. This causes a chain reaction where the once stable molecule becomes unstable, creating additional free radicals in the body. Free radicals are a natural by-product of cellular metabolism and are produced naturally in the body to fight external dangers like bacteria and viruses. However, having too many of them leads to an imbalance and markers of oxidative stress. This may be expressed as visible skin damage, chronic fatigue, impaired circulation, sleep issues, and reproductive challenges in both men and women.

Supplements To Improve Mitochondrial Function And Reduce Oxidative Stress

Foods To Support Fertility

Antioxidants found in colourful fruits are known to help decrease oxidative stress that can harm eggs and sperm and can support blood flow to reproductive organs.

Eat Colourful Fruits

  • oranges, lemons, and other citrus fruits (vitamin C)
  • watermelon (citrulline)
  • blackberries (anthocyanins)
  • blueberries (anthocyanins)
  • pomegranate (anthocyanins)

Progesterone is responsible for helping to thicken the uterine lining allowing for successful embryo implantation.

Eat To Support Progesterone Production

  • grass-fed beef (zinc to help promote ovulation)
  • sunflower seeds (vitamin E to help clear excess estrogen)
  • chickpeas (vitamin B6 helps support regular ovulation and magnesium absorption)
  • raw cacao products (magnesium helps balance stress hormones)
  • kiwi and other vitamin C rich fruits (vitamin C helps boost progesterone)
  • grass-fed butter (pregnenolone comes from cholesterol and makes progesterone)

During ovulation, sperm require quality cervical mucous to travel through the cervix to fertilize an egg.

Support Cervical Mucous Quality

  • flax and/or sesame seeds (lignans support estrogen and a more watery mucous consistency approaching ovulation)
  • limes, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits (Vitamin C to reduce oxidative stress)
  • wild-caught low mercury fish (Omega 3 supports blood flow to nourish uterine lining)
  • water (hydration is vital and cervical mucous is ~90-95% water)

Male infertility is prevalent in more than 50% of infertility cases and nutritional changes can support sperm quality.

Support Sperm Quality, Count, and Motility

  • watermelon and tomatoes (lycopene to support sperm count and viability)
  • oysters (zinc is required for testosterone production which is needed to make sperm)
  • brazil nuts (selenium helps promotes sperm viability and is required to make sperm as it concentrates in the testicles and seminal fluid)
  • wild-caught low mercury fish (omega 3 in present in sperm cell membranes supporting flexibility and mobility– EPA helps with motility and DHA deficiency is linked with infertility)
  • maca root (to support sperm motility and increase sperm concentration)

Lifestyle factors like chronic stress, a sedentary lifestyle, or poor diet can harm eggs and sperm– foods rich in vitamin D and omega 3 help decrease inflammation, improve egg and sperm quality, support hormone production and contribute to regular cycles.

Reduce Inflammation

  • full fat grass-fed/organic dairy (vitamin D to reduce inflammation, support egg quality, and promote regular cycles)
  • egg yolks (vitamin D to reduce inflammation, support egg quality, and promote regular cycles)
  • wild-caught low mercury fish (omega 3 and vitamin D to reduce inflammation, support egg quality, and promote regular cycles)
  • flax seeds (omega 3)
  • hemp hearts (omega 3)

Healthy thyroid function and balanced thyroid hormones are important for regular cycles, ovulation, and progesterone production.

Support Thyroid Health

  • brazil nuts (selenium helps convert T4 to its active form T3)
  • brown rice (selenium helps convert T4 to its active form T3)
  • grass-fed beef (selenium helps convert T4 to its active form T3)
  • sesame seeds (selenium helps convert T4 to its active form T3)
  • cottage cheese (iodine makes T3 and T4)
  • eggs (iodine makes T3 and T4)
  • kelp/seaweed/nori (iodine makes T3 and T4)

Final Notes

Aside from diet, movement, reducing/managing stress levels and strategic supplementation, removing and/or limiting environmental and household toxins can have a positive impact on fertility.

Toxins can promote DNA damage in eggs and sperm making it more difficult to conceive. Egg quality declines with age but decreasing exposure to toxins can help slow down the process. Many toxins including those found in plastics, receipts, canned food linings, alcohol, and scented personal, household, or cleaning products (fragrances, parfums, and aromas) are known to interfere with hormone balance in men and women, with cycle regulation, and ovulation.

Disclaimer

The content in this post is for information purposes only and is not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment of conditions that your health care practitioner should assess. The products discussed may not be suitable for you. Always read and follow the label.

For additional fertility recommendations, you are always welcome to visit us in-store at 317 Brock Street S Whitby, ON L1N 4K3.

At FeelGood Natural Health, we deeply appreciate the ongoing support of our customers (returning and new) over the past 26 years. Like all small businesses, it is our customers that have allowed us to operate as long as we have and to continue doing our best to meet your natural health needs.

References:

Agarwal, A., Aponte-Mellado, A., Premkumar, B., 2012. “The Effects of Oxidative Stress on Female Reproduction: A Review”. Retrieved from https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1477-7827-10-49

Irwin, C. 2024. “Eating For Women’s Hormones”. https://www.alive.com/health/eating-for-womens-hormones/

Samuel, S. Francis, A., Denen, A. et. al. 2015. “Effects of Prolonged Fasting on Sperm Count”. Retrieved from https://www.jmolpat.com/jmolpat-articles/effects-of-prolonged-fasting-on-sperm-count.pdf

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