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The current reality and the change in the family-building paradigm have led to a delay in plans to have children. It is increasingly common to find couples who decide to postpone this desire due to personal, work, or financial circumstances. These causes, prolonged over time, significantly increase the prevalence of infertility worldwide.
Around 15% of couples experience difficulty conceiving naturally. This is due to various factors. The most important is age, but it is not the only one. Lifestyle, diet, exposure to environmental factors, and agents such as stress or anxiety also have a negative impact on fertility, both male and female.
Below, in honour of World Fertility Day, we explain how you can improve or optimise fertility, although we must emphasise that age remains the most important factor to consider.
Healthy diet: the contribution of vitamins and minerals
Nutrition plays a key role in fertility for both women and men, as it directly influences the quality of eggs and sperm.
Several studies show that a diet with a low glycaemic index improves ovulation and sperm quality. Likewise, an adequate intake of specific vitamins and minerals, through a balanced diet and personalised supplementation, helps optimise reproductive function.
It is beneficial to increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably seasonal ones, together with other foods with high nutritional density.
Here are some nutritional recommendations to optimise fertility:
- Base your diet on plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
- Avoid ultra-processed products and prioritise fresh, local, and seasonal foods.
- Always include a source of protein in every meal, prioritising plant-based ones (such as legumes, tofu, or nuts) and complementing them with high-quality animal proteins such as fish, lean meats, and eggs, which provide choline, vitamin D, and antioxidants essential for fertility.
- In cases of gluten intolerance or coeliac disease, eliminate gluten from your diet.
- Increase your intake of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as oily fish (sardines, mackerel, salmon, anchovies). Include 2–3 servings per week and avoid large fish (bluefin tuna, swordfish, pike) due to their mercury content.
- Consume foods rich in folates such as spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, avocado, legumes, and nuts, and include eggs, which provide choline — a key nutrient for cell division and embryonic development.
- Ensure adequate intake of antioxidant vitamins (A, C, and E) and B-group vitamins, especially B6, B12, and D, which are fundamental for ovulation and spermatogenesis.
- Include natural sources of essential minerals such as magnesium, zinc, iron, selenium, and iodine. Eggs are an excellent ally to meet part of these needs, along with fish, legumes, and nuts.
- Reduce caffeine consumption and eliminate alcohol, as both can negatively affect egg and sperm quality.
- Drink enough water throughout the day to maintain proper hydration.
Physical exercise: benefits and recommendations
Physical exercise provides countless benefits for overall health and also for reproductive health, although its effect will always depend on the intensity, frequency, and duration of the activity.
Maintaining moderate and consistent physical activity helps regulate hormone levels, especially oestrogen, progesterone, and insulin. This balance is fundamental to promote ovulation and improve egg quality, particularly in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), where exercise can help restore menstrual cycles and improve the response to fertility treatments.
Furthermore, regular exercise improves blood circulation, which benefits embryo implantation in women and testosterone production in men, positively influencing semen quality.
One of the most relevant aspects is its role in body weight control. Moderate physical activity helps reduce Body Mass Index (BMI) and maintain a healthy weight, which is associated with higher rates of natural pregnancy and success in assisted reproduction treatments. Both overweight/obesity and being underweight can alter hormonal balance and make conception more difficult.
However, excess can also be harmful. Intense or prolonged exercise can disrupt the hormonal axis and have the opposite effect, causing:
- Decreased oestrogen and progesterone levels, which may lead to anovulatory cycles.
- Alterations in the luteal phase, making embryo implantation more difficult.
The key, therefore, lies in balance: prioritising consistency and moderation over excess.
The importance of sleep in reproductive health
Although often overlooked, adequate rest is a key pillar of fertility and hormonal regulation. Sleeping between 7 and 9 hours per night helps maintain the balance of sex hormones, cortisol, and melatonin, all involved in ovarian and sperm function.
Moreover, adopting healthy habits — such as avoiding screens before bedtime, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, and reducing caffeine and alcohol intake in the hours leading up to sleep — can make a significant difference.
A recent study showed that women who slept less than 7 hours per night had a 15% lower embryo implantation rate in IVF treatments, highlighting the crucial role of sleep in reproductive health.
Remember: diet, physical activity, and sleep
Improving fertility partly depends on oneself and how one manages nutrition, physical activity, and adequate, high-quality rest. Consuming nutrient-rich foods with sufficient vitamins and minerals, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle to maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), and reducing factors such as stress or anxiety will significantly improve your fertile health.
In addition, we recommend consulting a fertility specialist to undergo a full evaluation and check your current fertility status.
