Women, diet and fertility - are you struggling to get pregnant?
The greatest gift a child can receive is to be born to a well-nourished mother
... ... and the greatest gift you can give yourself is to be optimally nourished when you have to give up 3.5 kg of high-value nutrients.
The body must be built from something. A foetus will take what it needs from the mother's stores, but this naturally assumes that the stores contain what is needed. Several studies suggest that diet also plays an important role in fertility.
All over the world, we are seeing fertility decline. More and more research shows that diet has a lot to do with it. This applies to both women and men. This article is mainly about what the ladies can look at, while the guys can read more here.
Folate and B12
We know that folate can reduce the risk of spina bifida. Folate in combination with vitamin B12 may also appear to increase fertility and the number of live births in couples undergoing assisted reproduction. We're not entirely sure how this works, but it seems that folate in combination with vitamin B12 acts on genes that increase enzyme activity so that women have better and more mature egg cells.
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Fatty acids
Animal, human and laboratory studies have shown that polyunsaturated fatty acids are important in the maturation of egg cells and in the phase where the embryo (early fetal stage) attaches to the lining of the uterine wall.
We know that more and more pregnant women are experiencing gestational diabetes. Older age in pregnant women and excessive body weight have been highlighted as possible reasons for the increase in gestational diabetes. Trans fatty acids also appear to promote insulin resistance. This in turn can negatively affect ovulation function. Trans fat intake in Norway is generally low, so one should be aware of other dietary factors that also increase the risk of insulin resistance.
Low intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with lower fertility. Studies have shown that omega-3 in the diet reduces the risk of the egg not hatching when the woman is ovulating. A study conducted in Iran found that women with the highest levels of the omega-3 fatty acid EPA were also the most likely to become pregnant.
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Environmental toxins and choice of proteins
We discuss protein sources in this article because our protein sources are sources of important nutrients. Unfortunately, they are also often sources of environmental toxins that can negatively affect fertility. Red meat, for example, is a good source of both protein and essential nutrients, but also often contains antibiotics. Fish and seafood are good sources of omega-3 and iodine, for example, but can also contain problematic levels of heavy metals and dioxins. Many people think it makes sense to replace animal protein sources with vegetable sources. Plant estrogens from soy have been highlighted several times as possibly having a negative impact on reproduction. In addition, soy contains a more unfavorable ratio of omega-6 to 3 than seafood and grass-fed meat.
Choosing seafood low on the food chain and grass-fed meat goes a long way towards reducing the amount of these undesirable substances. Did you know that 80% of all antibiotics are added to animal feed? Only 20% are used as medicines for sick people and animals.
But what about food in general?
Fasting and ketogenic diets have been in vogue for quite some time now, and with good reason. There are many health benefits associated with fasting, and many people find that they can control their weight and cravings by drastically cutting down on carbohydrates. But should women fast or eat ketogenic at all times? There is a difference between women and men when it comes to this, and the main reason for this is a woman's hormonal cycle. If you're struggling to conceive, it may be worth looking at whether or not you're eating in line with your hormones. In short, there are certain phases of the menstrual cycle when it's good to eat low-carb/fasting, and other phases when you absolutely shouldn't. Especially in the week before menstruation and during pregnancy, you may want to eat some carbohydrates. This doesn't mean that you should throw yourself into the bowl of goodies, but that it may be a good idea to add a small amount of good carbohydrates to your diet during these periods. Good sources of carbohydrates include root vegetables and some fruit. So - don't go crazy, gestational diabetes is no joke, and with today's challenges related to insulin resistance and obesity, you need to be careful about what you put in your diet.
You may wonder why this is a point? The hormone progesterone drops when cortisol rises. Anything that increases cortisol will deplete progesterone. What increases cortisol? Well, anything that stresses the body. Even if fasting does us good, it will briefly increase cortisol. In addition, progesterone thrives better when there are some carbohydrates present. Progesterone increases the week before menstruation and during pregnancy. If you stress your body unnecessarily (you can't plan your way out of everything, of course), you risk a drop in progesterone and disruptions to your period.
Estrogen, on the other hand, which is at its highest just before ovulation, reacts negatively to insulin. So from the first day of menstruation and especially until ovulation, it is beneficial to fast, eat a low-carb diet and exercise a little extra hard. This is the woman's power phase, so make the most of it. Did you know that oestrogen is the precursor to serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline? These are substances that make you calm and happy and give you a sense of satisfaction.
Sources:
González-Rodríguez LG, López-Sobaler AM, Perea Sánchez JM, Ortega RM. Nutrición y fertilidad [Nutrition and fertility]. Nutr Hosp. 2018 Sep 7;35(Spec No6):7-10. Spanish. doi: 10.20960/nh.2279. PMID: 30351153.
Gaskins AJ, Chavarro JE. Diet and fertility: a review. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Apr;218(4):379-389. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2017.08.010. Epub 2017 Aug 24. PMID: 28844822; PMCID: PMC5826784.
Pelz M., Fast like a girl
