Antioxidants Increase The Chance Of Pregnancy

Many couples want nothing more than a baby. But more and more often, a pregnancy just doesn’t want to happen. There can be many reasons for this. Starting with hormonal problems in women and the quality of semen in men to a variety of complications during pregnancy. Antioxidants offer a way to increase the chance of a healthy pregnancy. They can both improve sperm quality, shorten the time it takes to get pregnant, and prevent miscarriage.

Antioxidants increase the chance of pregnancy

Many couples want nothing more than a baby. But more and more often, a pregnancy just doesn’t want to happen. There can be many reasons for this. Starting with hormonal problems in women and the quality of semen in men to a variety of complications during pregnancy. Antioxidants offer a way to increase the chance of a healthy pregnancy. They can both improve sperm quality, shorten the time it takes to get pregnant, and prevent miscarriage.

Antioxidants for healthy sperm

In order for new life to develop, the female egg must be fertilized by the male sperm. To do this, as much mobile sperm as possible must reach the egg cell as quickly as possible. But it is precisely at this point that many couples’ desire to have children fails: either the sperm are too immobile, not available in sufficient quantities, or both together. After all, 40 percent of couples with an unfulfilled desire to have children are affected by this problem.

Studies have now shown that the quality of male semen is related to diet, among other things. The more antioxidants in the form of folic acid, zinc, and vitamin E the men consumed, the more agile their “swimmers” were and the more sperm were found in the ejaculate, which in turn greatly increases the likelihood of pregnancy.

Researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey also found in a meta-study that men who were being treated for infertility and were also taking antioxidants were four times more likely to have their partners have a successful pregnancy. In addition, these men were almost five times more likely to carry the pregnancy to term with healthy and for happy parents to take home a healthy babies.

If you know that sperm can be damaged by strong oxidative stress, this result is not surprising. Because antioxidants can minimize this oxidative damage and thus ensure healthy and mobile sperm, which in turn father healthy children.

The antioxidant vital substances include not only folic acid, zinc, and vitamin E, but also beta-carotene and vitamin C, which were examined in the studies presented below.

Get pregnant faster with antioxidants

Now the question arises whether antioxidants can also increase fertility in women. A recent study concludes that there is only a weak direct link between female fertility and the intake of antioxidants. Nevertheless, supplementing with antioxidants appears to offer some major benefits.

For example, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh examined 437 women aged 21 to 39 who, from a medical point of view, had no reason for their unfulfilled desire to have children, but who nevertheless did not become pregnant. The infertility was therefore neither caused by poor sperm quality in the man nor by known problems in the woman. This medically inexplicable, unfulfilled desire to have children is responsible for at least 20 percent of all fertility treatments.

The scientists now observed that women with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of under 25 became pregnant faster when they consumed more vitamin C. On average, the women consumed 136 mg of vitamin C daily in the form of dietary supplements.

Women with a BMI over 25, on the other hand, became pregnant more quickly with increased beta-carotene or vitamin A intake – with an average daily intake of 1,400 IU of vitamin A.

The researchers also examined the influence of antioxidants in different age groups. It was found that women under the age of 35 also benefited from increased beta-carotene and vitamin A intake. Again, it was 1,400 IU of vitamin A daily that was needed on average to increase the chance of pregnancy.

Women over the age of 35, on the other hand, became pregnant more quickly with increased vitamin E intake (an average of 33 mg of vitamin E per day).

How can these findings be put into practice? For example, if you have a BMI of under 25 and are under 35, this means that you should look for an increased supply of vitamin C and beta-carotene in order to conceive quickly. On the other hand, if you are over 35 years old, you would benefit from increased vitamin C intake and increased vitamin E intake with a BMI below 25 – at least according to the present study.

Antioxidants reduce miscarriages

Once the conception has been successful, the parents are initially overjoyed. However, the risk of a miscarriage is relatively high, especially within the first twelve weeks. For this reason, many couples only announce the good news after the twelfth week of pregnancy.

However, according to the latest research, it could also be helpful to take more antioxidants to prevent a miscarriage. A study by the Istanbul Medical Faculty showed that women with lower levels of antioxidants in their blood had an increased risk of miscarriage.

The researchers concluded, “that increased oxidative stress is likely one of the main triggers for recurrent miscarriage”.

Plant Foods: The Best Sources of Antioxidants

Since antioxidants can thus greatly increase the success of pregnancy, the question arises as to how best to meet the need for antioxidants. Of course, you can easily buy dietary supplements with antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin A, glutathione, or similar active ingredients in stores.

It would be even better to first ensure a balanced diet and integrate foods with a high ORAC value. The ORAC value measures the antioxidant capacity of a substance. The higher the value, the more antioxidants are present in the respective food.

According to WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations, a healthy adult should consume at least 5,000 – 7,000 ORAC units per day. Of course, demand can increase significantly, e.g. B. with an existing illness, psychological stress, extensive sunbathing, medication, or similar.

ORAC table – The best antioxidants

Below you will find a table with ORAC values ​​for some foods. These include the top antioxidant suppliers as well as “normal” foods. Often, however, you can only eat very little of the frontrunners (e.g. cloves or cinnamon), so that their richness in antioxidants is put into perspective again.

Because with a teaspoon of cinnamon you only take in 1,300 µmolTE/100 g and thus just as much as with 200 g of carrots. When it comes to antioxidant supply, you should therefore not only concentrate on the foods listed at the top of the table but rather practice a plant-based diet that is rich in vital substances.

Pregnant thanks to antioxidants

Of course, a diet rich in antioxidants not only ensures a balanced cycle and higher sperm quality. It protects the entire body from oxidative stress and the associated cell damage. In this way, the risk of many diseases can be noticeably reduced – whether it is diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune processes, premature aging, cancer, or dementia.

If, in addition to food, you would like to increase your antioxidant levels with the help of dietary supplements, then the following preparations can be considered, of which you can choose two or three:

• Astaxanthin – The super antioxidant
• OPC – The power of grape seeds
• curcumin
• saffron extract
• resveratrol and quercetin
• Aronia berries and products made from them (juice, fruit balls).