Can Vitamin D boost fertility? Now, there are many factors that can affect fertility, from PCOS, endometriosis, lack of ovulation and poor egg quality to male factor issues. From a nutritional point of view, it is so important to consume foods which support your reproductive organs and digestive system, ensuring good equality eggs are being produced, excess hormones are being cleared from your body and any signs of toxic overload are being reduced. In addition, addressing nutritional deficiencies that could be contributing to fertility problems is a no-brainer, especially given that a UK Study has shown that women who took a multivitamin were more likely to get and stay pregnant.
Vitamin D specifically plays a huge role in fertility, and women who have sufficient vitamin D levels are more likely to become pregnant and produce better quality embryos if unde
rgoing IVF than in those who were deficient. This is because the main fertility function of Vitamin D is to help the body create sex hormones. If you are Vitamin D deficient and these hormones become out of balance it is likely you will suffer from PMS, PCOS and sadly, infertility. Given that Vitamin D is essential for the healthy functioning of the body, playing vital roles in everything from the immune system, bone density, dementia and cancer prevention and is necessary for cell division (and therefore important to every single cell in the body), it is no surprise that it plays such a major role in fertility.
Vitamin D Supplementation
We are right in the thick of winter which means dark, shorter days and less sunshine. We typically get our Vitamin D intake from the sun, which is why it is so important to think about your Vitamin D levels right now, especially as so many people are deficient (did you know that 1 in 5 people in the UK are deficient in vitamin D? Last year a government-commissioned report recommended that everybody in the UK should take a Vitamin D supplement in the Autumn and Winter months.)
Dietary wise we can also obtain small amounts of Vitamin D from milk products and fortified orange juice, however, more significant amounts are found in wild salmon and beef liver (although few of us are eating these in the quantities required). This is where supplements play a vital role. I personally take Vitamin D3 drops from autumn onwards, and if you are trying to conceive I would highly recommend a D3 supplement program. Look for supplements containing at least 5000 IUI of D3 as it is the same form that the body naturally produces in response to sunlight. I prefer drops which are convenient, easily absorbed and more bioavailable.
