If you are trying to get pregnant you may be interested in natural fertility aids. But how do you know if they are effective? We uncover the evidence to see if natural fertility aids really work.
Be sharp about acupuncture and infertility
Chinese doctors and alternative medicine practitioners are not alone; the science and medical communities are embracing acupuncture infertility treatment. In fact, acupuncture is one of the most well researched natural fertility aids. A number of studies now show that acupuncture seems to help some women get pregnant with in vitro fertilization (IVF). Acupuncture may boost blood flow, restoring health to the reproductive organs. If you try acupuncture for infertility, expect to undergo multiple treatments before seeing any benefits. While the procedure is low risk, seek a licensed professional to be safe.
Eat this fertility food, not that!
In 2007, Harvard researchers discovered a link between women's diets and ovulation infertility problems. Their research was thorough, and supported by the public health community. As a result, your doctor may support you in trying fertility diet if you are having trouble getting pregnant. Here are some of the fertility diet recommendations:
- Avoid trans fats and increase healthy fats.
- Reduce your meat intake and eat more beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
- Choose whole grain and natural foods instead of white flour, white pasta, and sugar.
- Try to get at least one serving of high-fat dairy a day (like whole milk or ice cream).
- Take a daily multivitamin.
Your partner can also benefit from a healthy diet. Eating too much fat can affect the health of his sperm.
Can natural fertility aids help men too?
If you are having trouble getting pregnant, make sure your partner has a fertility workup, too. If he has male factor infertility, he may consider male natural fertility aids. A number of studies are looking into whether acupuncture and herbs help men with fertility problems. Preliminary studies show that acupuncture may benefit a man's sperm health. Acupuncture can also increase circulation in his body, reducing the negative health effects of modern toxins and stress.
It may be natural, but is it safe?
A quick search of the Internet finds numerous vitamins and supplements claiming to enhance female fertility. Unfortunately, there are not many scientific studies to prove these claims. Some supplements that appear to offer benefits for male factor infertility include:
- Carnitines
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Other possible male fertility boosters include:
- Coenzyme Q10
- Selenium
- Glutathione
Other supplements have shown promise for female fertility, but more studies need to be done.
Herbs for PCOS
Some Chinese herbs may help women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) taking clomiphene citrate for fertility treatment. Women with PCOS have symptoms including irregular menstrual cycle, abnormal hair growth, and acne. If you have PCOS, talk to your doctor about herbs, or consider seeing a Chinese herbal specialist.
Read this before taking herbal natural fertility aids
Talk to your doctor before taking any vitamins, herbs, or medications for fertility. If you are currently being treated for infertility, new herbs and supplements could interact with the medications you are taking. Plus, the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements and herbs. As a result, you don't know what substances you are consuming, or how much. For these reasons, some doctors are reluctant to recommend these products to patients.
Reviewed March 2011 by Dr. Steven Lindheim from the Center for Reproductive Health - Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sources: American Society of Reproductive Medicine: Fat and Fertility in Men http://www.asrm.org/news/article.aspx?id=4642&terms=(+%40Publish_To+Both+Sites+or+%40Publish_To+ASRM+Only+)+and+omega; Fertility Herbs: Do they enhance fertility? http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/fertility-herbs/AN01797/METHOD=print; Human fertility: The role of antioxidant therapy in the treatment of male infertility http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/14647273.2010.532279; Women's Health: Acupuncture in reproductive medicine http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/whe.10.39?journalCode=whe
