Diet and Fertility 2018

We are often asked what can the patients do to improve fertility. This is one area where an overwhelming amount of misinformation exits and of course the world wide web adds to the confusion.

There is a good deal of scientific interest in the subject and a recent article (Sept 2018 by Chiu in Fertility Sterility Volume 110, Issue 4, Pages 560–569) covers this. What follows below is a very bried look at key factors. In general trust your common sense!

Females

• Mediterranean diets that favour whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables, and olive oils
• Folic acid supplement essential
• Vit D - the jury is still out
• Maintain a healthy weight range and aim to reduce obesity, but one should not necessarily defer starting treatment before reaching an ideal weight.
• No alcohol or "recreational drugs" or smoking

Males

• Mediterranean diets that favour whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables, and olive oils
• No supplements needed
• Leafy green vegetables/salads provide sufficient antioxidants
• Maintain a healthy weight range and reduce obesity
• No alcohol or "recreational drugs" or smoking

Note it takes males about 3 months to produce new sperm so males need to follow this approach for more than 3 months to maximise outcomes.