A naturopath may suggest the following as treatment for infertility: improving the
nutrition of both partners; hot and cold water splashes on the genitals to stimulate
circulation locally; avoiding alcohol and smoking for a while, and also getting enough
A balanced diet is essential for the body to function property. Supplements help
improve fertility. Lack of protein and calories from malnourishment is a cause of
infertility, so adequate nutrition should be the basis for treatment of any illness,
The supplements most important in enhancing fertility in men are vitamin C, E, zinc and
L-arginine. Vitamin C helps prevent sperm from clumping or sticking together, Thus
improving the chances for fertility. Vitamin E is the fertility vitamin because it
corrects the functioning of the endocrine glands. Zinc increases both sperm count and
sperm motility. It is important for the health of reproductive organs and the prostate
gland. Found in high amounts in the head of the sperm, L-arginine also improves sperm
count and motility. L-arginine also improves sexual desire and ejaculation.
Essential fatty acids, chromium, selenium, copper, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and vitamin
B complex are also useful. Since sperm formation takes almost three months, it will take
at least this amount of time before reaping the benefits of a nutrient supplementation
Royal jelly is rich in hormonal factors that help optimize hormone balance in both
sexes. It has been found to increase sperm count, and many believe it also enhances sexual
performance. Take 20 milligrams of royal jelly daily.
The B vitamins are required for a healthy nervous system and help maintain muscle tone
in the intestinal tract. Take a good B-complex supplement that supplies 25 to 50
milligrams of each of the major B vitamins daily.
Eat pumpkin seeds for zinc. Avoid coffee, tea and colas since caffeine promotes
infertility. Green, leafy vegetables, especially watercress, contain vitamin E. Drink one
tablespoon of watercress juice daily or add a few fresh sprigs to a salad. Wheat germ is
an excellent source of vitamin E.
Essential fatty acids, found in black currant seed oil, borage oil, evening primrose
oil, and flaxseed oil, are required for normal glandular activity in both men and women.
Take 500 to 1,000 milligrams of any of these oils two or three times daily.
According to practitioners, Vitamin C decreases sperm abnormalities and increases sperm
number and quality.
Antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta- carotene, selenium, and vitamin E, have been
shown to be very important in protecting the sperm against damage. Vitamin C plays an
especially important role in protecting the sperm's genetic material (DNA) from damage.
Ascorbic acid levels are much higher in seminal fluid than in other body fluids, including
The important role played by Vitamin C in male fertility had been proved in animal and
human studies. In one study, when dietary vitamin C was reduced from 250 mg to 5 mg per
day in healthy human subjects, the seminal fluid ascorbic acid level decreased by fifty
percent and the number of sperm with damage to their DNA increased by ninety-one percent.
Thus, dietary vitamin C plays a critical role in protecting against sperm damage. Low
dietary vitamin C levels are likely to lead to infertility.
Cigarette smoking is known to greatly reduce the vitamin C levels in our bodies. RDA of
Vitamin C for smokers is twice as much as that for nonsmokers.
In one clinical study, men who smoked one pack of cigarettes per day received either 0,
200, or 1,000 mg of vitamin C. After one month, sperm quality improved proportional to the
level of vitamin C supplementation.
Nonsmokers also benefit from vitamin C supplementation. For example, in one study,
thirty infertile, but otherwise healthy, men received either 200 mg or 1,000 mg of vitamin
C or a placebo daily. Their sperm was tested weekly for sperm count, viability, motility,
agglutination, abnormalities, and immaturity. After one week, the 1,000-mg group
demonstrated a 140-pereent increase in sperm count, the 200 mg group a 112-pereent
increase, and the placebo group no change. After three weeks, both vitamin C groups
continued to improve, with the 200- mg group catching up to the improvement of the
One of the key improvements observed during the study was in the number of agglutinated
(clumped-together) sperm. When more than twenty-five percent of the sperm are
agglutinated, fertility is very unlikely. At the beginning of the study, all three groups
had over twenty-five percent agglutinated sperm. After three weeks, the agglutinated sperm
in the vitamin C groups dropped to eleven percent.
The most impressive result of the study was that at the end of sixty days, all of the
vitamin C group had impregnated their wives, compared to none for the placebo group. It
can be concluded from these results that vitamin C supplementation can be very effective
in treating male infertility, particularly if the infertility is due to antibodies against
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant vitamin. It plays a key role in inhibiting
free-radical damage to the unsaturated fatty acids of the sperm membrane. Low levels of
this nutrient have been linked to a low fertility in men. In addition, vitamin E has been
shown to increase the ability of sperm to fertilize an egg in test tubes.
In one study, supplementation with vitamin E decreased the level of lipid peroxide
concentration in sperm pellet suspensions. Eleven of fifty-two treated infertile men
impregnated their spouses.
Increasing the levels of vitamin E in men with low fertility resulted in improving the
number and quality of sperm. The sperm had improved mobility and were better able to
attach to the unfertilized egg. The result: the spouses became pregnant.
Studies suggest that Vitamin E may be as effective -and possibly more
effective- than expensive high-tech procedures.
A report by Kessopoulou and colleagues offered the first solid, convincing proof of the
vitamin's effectiveness. In this study, thirty men with low fertility were divided into
two groups. For three months, one group took 600 lUs of vitamin E daily while the other
took a placebo. Sperm counts were measured and analyzed.
After a one-month rest period, the two groups changed routines. This time the group
that had taken placebo pills took vitamin E, and vice versa.
For both stages of the test, sperm potency dramatically improved under the influence of
vitamin E. Taking vitamin E supplement made sperm two and a half times as potent as they
had been before supplementation began.
Another study, in Saudi Arabia, used a larger study group. Over one hundred couples
unable to conceive due to low male fertility volunteered. In half of the group, males took
daily vitamin E supplement, while the other half received a placebo. During the test
period, none of the females in the placebo group became pregnant. By contrast, more than
20 percent of those in the vitamin E group conceived-a much higher success rate than in
vitro fertilization can boast!
Dosage: In studies, a daily dose of 600 lUs of vitamin E was used. Don't take more
than 800 lUs a day. Choose a product containing mixed tocopherols. Begin by taking 200 IU
daily, then gradually increase the dosage until you are taking 400 IU twice daily.
Note: If you have high blood pressure, limit your intake of supplemental vitamin E to a
total of 400 IU daily.
Studies have shown that vitamin E is more effective when taken with another key
antioxidant, vitamin C. The reason may be that when a vitamin E molecule is damaged by
interacting with a free radical, C converts it back to its original form, giving it, in
effect, a second life. To minimize stomach upset, take vitamin E at mealtimes or with a
Caution! People with anemia, poorly
clotting blood, liver disease, or overactive thyroid should not take vitamin E supplements
without consulting a doctor. If you are taking an anticoagulant (blood thinner), consult
your physician before taking supplemental vitamin E.
Scientists observed that selenium deficiency lowers the reproduction rates in man as
well as in animals. Selenium is needed for production of testosterone. When selenium
levels are low, sperm are immobile because the tail is weakened or deformed. In men,
selenium is essential for sperm production-almost half of the male body's supply of
selenium is concentrated in the testicles and the seminal ducts adjacent to the prostate
Selenium is an antioxidant that prevents free-radical damage, works synergistically
with vitamin E, and preserves tissue elasticity.
In one double-blind trial, low-fertility men who took selenium supplements increased
the mobility of their sperm by 100 percent! Take 200 micrograms of selenium daily. Do not
exceed the dosage as it is toxic at levels above recommended. (Toxicity levels are 100
times the daily recommended value.)
Zinc is a critical trace mineral for male sexual function. It is involved in virtually
every aspect of male reproduction, including hormone metabolism, sperm formation, and
sperm motility. Zinc found in the seminal fluid, increases sperm count and mobility, and
blood testosterone levels.
Zinc deficiency is characterized by decreased testosterone levels and sperm counts.
Zinc levels are typically much lower in infertile men with low sperm counts, indicating
that a low zinc status may be the contributing factor to the infertility.
The results from several studies suggest that zinc supplementation may be beneficial
for men who have low sperm count and low testosterone levels.
In one study, thirty-seven men who had been infertile for more than five years, and
whose sperm counts were less than 25 million/ml were given a supplement of zinc sulfate
(60 mg of elemental zinc daily) for forty-five to fifty days. In the twenty-two patients
with initially low testosterone levels, mean sperm count increased significantly, from 8
to 20 million/ml. Testosterone levels also increased, and nine out of the twenty- two
wives became pregnant during the study. In contrast, in the fifteen men with normal
testosterone levels, although sperm count increased slightly, there was no change in
testosterone level and no pregnancies occurred. Thus zinc appears to be effective in
increasing male fertility when testosterone levels are low.
Optimal zinc levels must be attained if optimum male sexual vitality is desired. RDA
for zinc is 15 mg. Zinc is found in whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. In addition to
eating these zinc-containing foods, therapists suggest that you take 45 to 60 mg per day
of zinc supplements.
A deficiency of Vitamin B12 leads to reduced sperm counts and reduced sperm motility.
Even if there is no deficiency of Vitamin-BI2, its supplementation may be beneficial for
men with sperm count less than 20 million/ml or a motility rate of less than fifty
In one study, twenty-seven percent of men who had sperm counts under 20 million/ml were
given 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 per day. As a result, their total sperm count increased in
excess of 100 million/ml. In another study, fifty-seven percent of men with low sperm
counts who were given 6,000 mcg of vitamin B12 per day demonstrated improvements.
The amino acid is also essential in sperm formation. (It is found in the heads of
Arginine supplementation is often, but not always, an effective treatment for male
infertility. The critical determinant appears to be the level of sperm count. If sperm
counts are less than 20 million/ml, arginine supplementation is less likely to be of
benefit. Also, the dosage of arginine should be at least 4 grams per day for three months
to be effective.
In one study, seventy-four percent of 178 men with low sperm counts were treated with 4
grams/day of arginine. They showed significant improvements in sperm counts and motility
as a result of this therapy. Use arginine supplementation only after other nutritional
measures have been tried.
A deficiency of carnitine results in a decrease in fatty acid concentrations in the
mitochondria and reduced energy production. After ejaculation, the motility of sperm
correlates directly with carnitine content. The higher the carnitine content, the more
motile the sperm. Conversely, when carnitine levels are low, sperm development, function,
and motility are drastically reduced.
In one clinical study thirty- seven of forty-seven men who had abnormal sperm mobility
and given carnitine supplementation (1,000 mg three times daily) experienced an increase
in sperm count and mobility.
Supplementing the diet with L-carnitine may help restore male fertility in some cases.
Start by taking a dose of 250 to 500 milligrams of L-carnitine with breakfast. After one
week, add a second dose, with lunch. After another week, add a third dose, so that you are
taking 250 to 500 milligrams with each meal. Continue taking L-carnitine for three to four
Suggested Daily dosages: