Vitamin E for Fertility – Benefits and Supplements

Among the vitamins deemed essential for humans, Vitamin E holds an important position when it comes to our health. It helps protects the cell membranes, red blood cells, nerve cells, preventing oxidative damage, neurological disorders, anaemia, and viral infections. It also improves immunity, prevents damage due to free radicals. Another important benefit of Vitamin E is that it benefits fertility too. Want to know how? Read on to know more.

Benefits of Vitamin E for Fertility

As mentioned above, Vitamin E is a powerhouse of antioxidants, and it can help fight toxins. It does this by fighting compounds like lead, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, and mercury, to name a few. It also affects hormonal balance in a positive way.

Let’s take a look at some more benefits of Vitamin E.

Benefits of Vitamin E For Men

Here are some reasons why men are recommended Vitamin E for their fertility.

1. Improves Sperm Motility

Motility refers to the ability of an organism to move around by itself. Good motility of sperms is a necessity as sperms have to cross over a certain distance, in order to fertilize an egg. Vitamin E aids in the same. It does this by counteracting the damage of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on sperm motility.

2. Helps Increase Sperm Count

One of the most common causes of infertility in men is a low sperm count. Ideally, the count is considered less if one millilitre of your semen consists of less than 20 million sperms. In most cases, a decrease in the sperm count is due to infections and damage – something that Vitamin E can protect men against.

3. Helps Boost Sex Drive

Research suggests that to increase the levels of testosterone in the body, men must consume foods that are rich in vitamin E. An increase in this hormone can boost sexual interest and sexual stamina. Since a depressed sex drive can also cause infertility, incorporating this vitamin into your diet can improve your sex drive.

4. Better Rate of Fertilization

Research suggests that men who had a regular intake of Vitamin E showed an increase of up to 29% in the rate of fertilization, as opposed to men who had an insufficient consumption. It does this by improving the quality of sperms.

Benefits of Vitamin E For Women

Here are a few reasons why women should take vitamin E to improve their fertility:

1. Brings About Thickening of the Uterine Lining

A thin uterine lining can be a major causal factor of infertility in women. Consuming close to 600 mg of Vitamin E a day can increase the blood flow in the radial artery, thereby increasing the thickness of the uterine lining.

2. Helps Treats Fibrocystic Breast Disease

Fibrocystic breast disease is a condition wherein breasts develop benign tumours, that during menstruation, become swollen and painful. This nutrient can help in the reduction of these tumours.

3. Helps Treat Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common condition that affects close to one in every ten women. This syndrome causes a hormonal imbalance and slows down the rate of metabolism. The hormonal imbalance can cause fertility issues in women. Vitamin E can help reverse the effects of PCOS.

4. Protects the Amniotic Sac

The amniotic sac, which contains the amniotic fluid, is what protects and contains the foetus in the womb. In some cases, the amniotic sac suffers from the rupture of the amniotic sac. Vitamin E can make the membranes stronger, thereby preventing the likelihood of an amniotic sac rupture.

Thus, Vitamin E can prove to be useful when it comes to improving fertility. An over-the-counter supplement would not do harm, it will benefit you to some extent, but it won’t necessarily treat fertility issues. Therefore, you must consult a fertility specialist and consume only the recommended dosage. In the next part of the article, we will share some information we have about the dosages a doctor may recommend.

What Is the Recommended Dosage

Anything in excess is bad, so being aware of the right dosage is imperative. Vitamin E has several benefits, and the ideal intake would be 500 to 1000 mg a day. Vitamin E for fertility dosage shouldn’t exceed more than 1000 mg a day, as excessive consumption can cause diarrhoea, nausea, flu, and abdominal pain. To reiterate, always consult a medical practitioner before consuming Vitamin E supplements.

Several foods are also rich sources of Vitamin E, and can be good alternatives for those who do not want over-the-counter/prescribed supplements. Let’s take a look at them.

Natural Sources of Vitamin E

The best part about Vitamin E is that it is found in several foods. Make sure you are eating a balanced, healthy diet, devoid of unhealthy fats and toxins. Here are a few ways you can increase the consumption of Vitamin E in your diet.

• Incorporate green leafy vegetables such as kale, cabbage, and spinach into your diet. Kale has vitamin E and folic acid, which is also beneficial for fertility.
• Nuts, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds are a great source of Vitamin E.
• Egg yolks have a high content of this nutrient, as does seafood and poultry.
• Avocado has proven to be one of the healthiest fruits. Low in saturated fats and low in carbs, this fruit is packed with nutrients including Vitamin E that your body needs.
• Tomatoes, rich in vitamin E, K, iron, folate, and potassium, is another great food to add to your diet.
• Use wheat germ oil in your cooking, as it has good amounts of Vitamin E. One spoon of wheat germ oil consists of close to 20 mg.
• One papaya can easily give you close to 17% of the daily intake. Make sure you consume this fruit regularly for some of this nutrient.
• Olives also consist of Vitamin E. You can drizzle some olive oil on your salads to add Vitamin E to your diet.
• Apricots are a rich source of vitamin E and edible fibre. Eating apricots can help you keep your metabolism and cholesterol levels in check. They also aid digestion. Try to have one or two apricots after dinner or before you go to bed every night.
• Kiwis are known for their high source of Vitamin C, but this fruit is also a great source of Vitamin E. It can help boost immunity, in addition to aiding infertility.
• Red bell peppers make for great antioxidants, rich in vitamin E, C, and iron. This vegetable can help in treating anaemia as well.
• Love topping your pizza with oregano? Then maybe you should load up on more of this herb, as it has a decent level of Vitamin E.
• Legumes like beans and peas are also rich sources of vitamin E that you should incorporate in your diet.
• Raspberries constitute a high level of Vitamin E. A total of 100 grams of raspberries constitute about 0.9 mg of Vitamin E, which means you will get a daily value of 6%.

Planning a family is a huge step, for both you and your partner. Sometimes, conceiving can be difficult, owing to several reasons. Here, the first thing you should do is get down to the root of the problem and find out what exactly is wrong. A medical expert should help you do that and also recommend supplements such as Vitamin E to treat infertility if needed. Nonetheless, you can always add the vitamin to your diet through some of the delicious foods mentioned above.

References:

• Healthline
• Medical News Today

Also Read: Vitamins & Nutrients to Boost Fertility