Foods for Fertility – Optimising Reproductive Health with Diet

Forbidden Foods

Western dietary patterns are associated with higher levels of inflammation due to excessive consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fat, refined carbohydrates, simple sugars and animal proteins. (5)
Saturated fats and sugar have been associated with poorer fertility outcomes in both women and men, (1) so the take-home message is simple: if it’s fried, forget it, and if it’s sickly sweet, it can wait a week. Women should be extra mindful of refined carbohydrates and sugars with a high glycaemic load promoting a hyperinsulinemic response, (5) predisposing females to gestational diabetes.

Foods to Forgo for the Boys

Unhealthy eating habits are seen as one of the main contributors (alongside environmental pollution, stress, and anxiety), causing a decline in semen quality. (6) Diets containing more significant quantities of certain foods are detrimentally associated with the quality of semen, including:(3)

• processed meat
• soy foods
• potatoes
• full-fat dairy and cheese
• coffee
• alcohol
• sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets
  
  

The worst foods on the list appear to be alcohol, caffeine, red meat and processed meat, with higher intake in men negatively influencing the chances of conception in their partners. (3) The key is to make changes for the better. This might mean cutting out alcohol entirely while reducing caffeine intake to 1-2 serves per day and cutting out processed meat while limiting red meat intake to 2-3 times per week. While red meat may have its place in the diet for many men, the saturated fat content, which can be exceptionally high in red meat, has independently been linked to lower semen concentration in males (1), so it’s worth cutting back during the preconception period and sourcing lean cuts of meat.

Facts for the Females

Two key areas to address in the preconception care period are inflammation and gut health, and both can be responsive to diet change.

1. The adverse effects of inflammation on female fertility can contribute to irregular menstrual cycles and implantation failure. Hence, an anti-inflammatory diet to reduce inflammation may likely improve fertility outcomes. (5)
2. Good gut health is equally significant. Studies found differences in gut microbiota composition in females with infertility, while imbalances in the gut microbiome via a high-fat dietary intake have been shown to induce ovarian inflammation. (5)