What Vitamins Increase Fertility?

It's easier for some couples to get pregnant than it is for others. If you would like better odds in conceiving a child, certain vitamins could help with both female and male fertility, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Certain vitamins can improve your chances of becoming pregnant and can improve your partner's sperm quality.

Folic Acid

Pregnant women take folic acid, a B vitamin, to prevent birth defects, such as spina bifida. Folic acid can also improve fertility and sperm quality and amount, according to the Fertility Factor website. You can get folic acid in foods, such as spinach, broccoli, peas, nuts, fruits and dried beans, or you can take it as a dietary supplement, according to Medline Plus.

Propolis

Propolis is a substance that comes from the leaf buds and the bark of trees, particularly conifer and poplar trees. Bees collect propolis to make their hives. Women who have mild endometriosis may receive some fertility benefit from taking 500mg of propolis twice a day for six months, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Propolis is available in liquid form, capsules and tablets.

Vitamin C

Women who have fertility problems because of luteal phase defect, a hormone abnormality, may receive some benefit from taking 750mg of vitamin C a day for up to six months. Men who take vitamin C can protect their sperm from oxidative damage, which you can compare to what happens to apples after you cut them. Oxidative damage can lead to disease. If a man is a smoker, vitamin C can help repair the damage to the sperm caused by the smoking. Vitamin C also reduces sperm agglutination, which is the sperm sticking together.

Vitamin E

Couples, who take the antioxidant vitamin E, show a significant increase in fertility, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Women should take 200 IU per day, and men should take 100 IU. In animals, vitamin E deficiency leads to infertility.

Zinc

Zinc may improve sperm quality, but the results are controversial, as of 2010. Many doctors, however, recommend that men take 30mg of zinc two times per day to improve sperm quality, sperm count and sperm mobility, according to the University of Michigan Health System.

Arginine

Arginine is an amino acid that is in many foods, such as dairy, meat, poultry, fish, nuts and chocolate. Arginine is necessary to produce sperm. Supplements of L-arginine may increase sperm count. If a man's sperm count is extremely low, less than 10 million per ml, L-arginine probably won't help. If sperm count is moderately low, greater than 10 million per ml, taking 4g of L-arginine per day for several months may help.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 injections have increased sperm counts in men who have low numbers, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Men who are considering doing this should talk to their doctor first.

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