Fertility and Functional Medicine
Fertility struggles can be emotionally challenging for individuals and couples seeking to start or expand their families. The journey of navigating infertility can be filled with feelings of disappointment, frustration, and grief. It often involves undergoing various medical procedures, making lifestyle changes, and facing uncertain outcomes, which can take a toll on one's mental and emotional well-being.
In conversation with our Fertility Nutritionist Julia
We had the opportunity to speak with Julia, a Fertility Nutritionist at Surrey Centre for Nutrition, to delve into the connections between fertility and nutrition. Julia's passion for this field stems from her extensive training and experience in the area of fertility and reproductive health.
As a dedicated Fertility Nutritionist, Julia brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role at Surrey Centre for Nutrition. Her background includes a Bachelor's degree in Nutritional Therapy from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION), as well as additional training in fertility and reproductive health. Julia is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).
Julia's approach to fertility nutrition is deeply rooted in evidence-based practices and the principles of functional medicine. She takes a holistic view of fertility, considering not only the nutritional aspects but also the broader factors that can influence reproductive health. Julia believes in the power of personalised nutrition plans, tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of each individual or couple.
What is fertility and how does it impact the body's reproductive system?
Fertility is the ability to get pregnant and give birth to a child. The reproductive system consists of reproductive organs and hormones that work together to create a child. The female reproductive system produces eggs or oocytes, and female sex hormones, including oestrogen and progesterone. The male reproductive system produces and transports sperm and male reproductive hormones. Both the female and male reproductive systems need to be functioning effectively for a couple to conceive.
How can nutrition support fertility in both men and women?
Imbalances in the body can impact fertility, for example, the gut microbiome (the trillions of bacteria which reside in the gut) is responsible for the metabolism of hormones, without a healthy gut microbiome, the breakdown or metabolism of oestrogen can become impaired and may lead to health consequences including endometriosis, PCOS, and infertility. Nutrition plays a key role in supporting the gut microbiome. Nutrient deficiencies can also impact both egg and sperm health.
What are the key principles of functional medicine in optimising fertility?
Couples that are struggling to conceive may be given a diagnosis of unexplained infertility which is not only frustrating for the couple, but it means they do not know why they cannot conceive. The functional medicine approach focuses on discovering and addressing the root cause of health issues, rather than simply managing the symptoms. This means that we work towards uncovering the root cause of infertility. Functional medicine also focuses on achieving optimal health and often when health is optimal it impacts positively on egg and sperm health.
Can functional medicine help identify and address underlying causes of fertility issues?
Yes, through function testing often the root causes can be identified. There is often more than one underlying issue, and as 50% of cases can be down to male factor the focus should be on both the male and female partner, after all you are both making half of the baby. Even if a diagnoses has been given to one partner, that does not mean there are other underlying health issues that could be impacting the couples’ fertility.
How does functional medicine approach the treatment of hormonal imbalances related to fertility?
The functional medicine approach involves taking a detailed case history of a client, looking at their family history, as well as focussing on health signs and symptoms. Testing hormonal levels is important to get an idea of current imbalances and then ensuring that the right nutrients to support hormonal balances are given through a food first approach and then looking at supplementation when necessary. Lifestyle changes such as sleep hygiene and stress management, can also be very effective to address hormonal imbalances.
What role do lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, play in fertility and how can functional medicine help optimise them?
As a nutritional therapist, the most important pillar in my view is nutrition, however lifestyle factors also play an essential role in fertility. There are the obvious factors such as smoking and excess alcohol which impact both egg and sperm health, and miscarriage rate. However, other areas such as, a lack of or too much exercise, stress management, and making sure that sleep is optimal are fundamental pieces of the fertility puzzle.
Are there specific dietary protocols or supplements recommended by functional medicine to enhance fertility?
There is no specific protocol as everyone is biologically unique so what may work for one person won’t necessarily work for another. However, there are certain nutrients which are very important for supporting male and female fertility, for example antioxidants, vitamin D, and omega 3 fats. Similarly in terms of supplements, they depend on the individual person’s need so these need to be specifically tailored to the individual.
Can functional medicine address specific fertility issues, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis?
Yes, functional medicine can be very effective for specific fertility conditions. Once the root cause of the condition is uncovered both nutrition and lifestyle can be effective in helping to manage symptoms and improve fertility success rates. Both PCOS and endometriosis can be effectively managed through diet and lifestyle changes.
How does functional medicine support healthy egg and sperm development for improved fertility outcomes?
Eggs take around 90 days to mature and sperm a similar amount of time, so this is an ideal time frame to put in the right nutrients to optimise the health of eggs and sperm on a cellular level. Eating a nutrient dense diet has the ability to improve the health of both eggs and sperm, similarly a diet low in nutrients and high in refined and processed foods, for example, can negatively impact both egg and sperm health.
Are there any natural or complementary therapies used in functional medicine for enhancing fertility?
Therapies such as acupuncture can be very effective in enhancing fertility from the perspective of increasing blood flow to the pelvic area and helping to regulate menstrual cycles for example. Womb massage can also be very effective in increasing blood flow and helping to deal with any trauma that may be held within the womb and having a negative impact on fertility success.
How can nutrition, in conjunction with fertility treatments like IVF, improve success rates?
Although fertility treatments can be very effective, they are unable to impact the quality of eggs and sperm which is where nutrition plays such an important role. Research shows that nutrition and lifestyle can help to increase the success rate of IVF and other such treatments.
What are the key elements of male and female fertility that can be improved through nutrition and lifestyle modifications?
With male fertility, nutrition and lifestyle modifications can help to improve sperm parameters. Nutrition can also help to reduce oxidative stress in the body which is associated with increased DNA fragmentation or damage of sperm. High DNA fragmentation is associated with implantation failure, increased conception time and increased miscarriage risk.
On the female side, many factors which can impact fertility can be improved by diet and lifestyle changes for example optimising thyroid and vaginal health and supporting conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis. Being over or underweight can impact fertility which again can be supported through diet and lifestyle changes.
How does Julia integrate nutrition advice into fertility treatment plans, including IVF?
My approach is very much food first, so it is important in the first instance to analyse a person’s diet to get an idea of the nutrients they may be missing. I like to focus on incorporating foods into the diet that can enhance fertility rather than restricting foods which can be difficult and stress inducing for people. By educating people on the style of eating that would most suit them and help enhance their fertility, they learn ways of eating which they can adopt lifelong rather than following a quick fix diet which may be unsustainable.
What dietary and lifestyle recommendations does Julia provide to support fertility and IVF success?
In terms of dietary recommendations, I often start with making sure people’s blood sugar is balanced as unbalanced blood sugar can impact ovulation, PCOS symptoms, egg and sperm quality, and IVF success. I also make sure that any nutrient deficiencies are corrected and that their diet is optimal for fertility conception. It is also important to make sure foods that can negatively impact fertility are reduced.
Lifestyle recommendations focus on stress management, sleep hygiene, optimal exercise, and movement, and ensuring that toxins within their environment are minimised as these can also impact egg and sperm health.
Can you provide examples of success stories or testimonials of individuals or couples who have used Julia's nutrition guidance to enhance fertility and IVF outcomes?
"Before working with Julia, my wife and I had been on a long journey trying to conceive. When finally we did conceive with our first pregnancy, this sadly resulted in early baby loss at 8 weeks.
During this difficult period and determined to move forward, we joined Julia’s 3-month plan. Working with Julia made us accountable to ourselves and the process. We made lifestyle changes; not only completely cutting out the big things like alcohol and caffeine but making sure we were preparing nutritious breakfasts (mostly Julia’s overnight oats recipe!) and well-balanced lunches and dinners. Julia created supplement plans, recommended tests, and provided lots of information throughout which we able to digest between each session.
We are in no doubt that the subtle, gradual changes we made with Julia’s coaching made a huge difference to us being able to conceive last November. We are now approaching 25 weeks and hoping for the safe arrival of our baby in the coming months ☺️
We would highly recommend Julia to anyone – we will be forever grateful! Thank you, Julia.." - Jonny Curtis
"Before we started working with Julia we had had a round of IVF which only resulted in 2 eggs being collected and neither implanting. We wanted to give ourselves the best shot for our next round and were willing to take the time to work on hopefully improving our chances.
I had followed Julia for a while on Instagram and we decided to contact her to help us. We worked with Julia for around six months following her recommendations and test suggestions, prior to our second round of IVF. I always found Julia extremely helpful and knowledgeable. She was understanding and gave us great support throughout our process with her.
Our second round of IVF was much more successful, resulting in 8 eggs being collected. Also my partner's sample results had massively improved. I am now 5 months pregnant and can’t thank Julia enough. I would recommend her a 100% to anyone who is looking to improve their chances of success." - Charlotte & Nathan Taylor
Are you or someone you know struggling with Fertility?
Book a FREE discovery call with us at the Surrey Centre for Nutrition to opt for a natural and holistic approach to your condition. We integrate Nutritional Therapy with Functional Medicine to ensure that you have a treatment plan completely suited to you and your needs.
Written by Julia, Nutritional Therapist specialising in fertility.
It is important to note that functional medicine and nutrition are complementary to conventional medical treatments. If you are experiencing Fertility issues or related health concerns, it is advisable to work with a qualified healthcare professional who can provide guidance, monitor your progress, and collaborate with you to develop an individualised treatment plan.