Getting
plenty of vitamin D could help boost fertility in women, say experts.
Vitamin
D – aka the ‘sunshine vitamin’ – is produced in the skin after exposure to
sunlight and can also be found in some foods.
And
now scientists from the University of Edinburgh have
found a link between vitamin D and ‘reproductive success’.
Their
findings come from monitoring a flock of sheep on a remote Scottish island.
But
they’re confident the results will be mirrored in other mammals – most
importantly humans.
Health
and wellbeing expert Jonathan Evans, founder of world-leading supplements firm
MANFLU, says the evidence could prove life-changing for many couples
desperately trying for a baby.
Findings: Experts reached their
conclusions after monitoring a flock of sheep
He
said: “We’ve long known that vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and teeth
in humans, and it has been linked to other health benefits.
“When
we created our new MANFLU Soup A Hero product we enhanced it with 13 select
vitamins and minerals for immune support, to reduce tiredness and support
energy release.
"We
of course included vitamin D as people can be deficient at this time of year.
“And
now this piece of research offers another reason to ensure you’re getting
enough, either through plenty of time outdoors or through the right foods, such
as our vitamin D enriched ’Soup a Hero’ chicken soup.”
Dr
Richard Mellanby, Head of Small Animal Medicine at Edinburgh University's Royal
School of Veterinary Studies, says the wild sheep they surveyed on the island
of St Kilda were measured for concentrations of a marker linked to vitamin D in
the blood.
Sheep
with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood at the end of the summer went on
to have more lambs in the following spring.
The
research has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Hope: Health expert Jonathan
Evans says the findings are great news for couples trying to conceive
Dr
Mellanby says: "Our study is the first to link vitamin D status and
reproductive success in a wild animal population.
“Low
levels of vitamin D appear to dampen the immune response and make the body
almost attack itself.
“And
what we have shown for the first time in wild animals is that vitamin D is
linked with important life history events, like giving birth.”
The
research has also been welcomed by fertility campaigners.
Susan
Seenan, chief executive of the Infertility Network UK, said: “What is important
to remember when trying to conceive is to try to stay as healthy as possible
overall: eating a balanced diet, getting enough exercise and taking care of
your emotional health.
“Recent
studies suggesting a link between sunshine/vitamin D and improved fertility are
interesting; couples may want to consider boosting their sunshine exposure.”
The
news comes after a separate study, by Dr Emad Al-Dujaili, of Queen Margaret
University, Edinburgh, found that boosting vitamin D intake can raise energy
levels.
The first baby conceived with the help of a new egg screening technique which could offer hope to women for whom IVF has repeatedly failed has been born. READ STORY AT: http://www.invitrofertilisation.blogspot.com
Are you a female athlete or just someone who likes challenging workouts -- who also wants to get pregnant? It may make sense to ease off a bit as you try to get pregnant. New research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) shows that the body may not have enough energy to support both hard workouts and getting pregnant. REST OF ARTICLE AT: http://http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170685.php
IVF COUPLES MUST UNDERGO POLICE CHECKS UNDER NEW AUSTRALIAN LAW!
The child, identified only as Oliver, has become the first in the world to be born using an IVF technique that is said to more than double the chances of pregnancy. READ STORY AT: http://www.invitrofertilisation.blogspot.com
MIRACLE BABIES!
TESTIMONIES OF DELIVERANCE FROM BARRENESS: READ THE UPLIFTING STORIES OF THESE WOMEN’S TRIUMPH OVER INFERTILITY VIA LINK IN GREEN BELOW:
Change in diet 'could help older women have babies'
Women in their 40s and 50s could increase their chance of having a baby by making a "drastic" change in their diet, it has been claimed.
Sarah Dobbyn, a nutritionist and author of The Fertility Diet, said the influence of diet on fertility is often overlooked. She claims that making alterations, such as cutting out alcohol and sugar, will allow women to hit the "snooze button" on their biological clocks. Following an improved diet could also help women to conceive even when they are entering the fifth decade of their lives, according to the book. It could also benefit women who believe that IVF treatment is their only hope of becoming pregnant. Miss Dobbyn said: "Huge amounts of money are being spent on assisted conception techniques by hopeful couples who do not know that alcoholic and caffeinated beverages are liquid contraceptives, sweeteners can prevent ovulation and seemingly innocent foods such as peas, rhubarb and soya all inhibit fertility." The Fertility Diet sets out a month-by-month diet and lifestyle plan which should be followed by both partners, to maximise the chance of conception. It recommends cutting out smoking, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, caffeine and soya in the first month. Peas and rhubarb are also banned, following studies linking them to infertility. By month two, couples should have given up all meat and cut out sugar and dairy products. Come the third month, consumption of eggs and fruit juices should be reduced. Couples are also encouraged to eat unlimited quantities of beans, pulses, organic herbs, spices and nuts from day one. Fruit and vegetables should be eaten raw wherever possible to help balance the body's hormones. Would-be parents are also advised to lose weight if overweight, keep stress to a minimum, and try to get a good night's sleep. Miss Dobbyn, 43, who plans to try for a child of her own soon, spent two-and-a-half years sifting through research papers and books on fertility to write The Fertility Diet. She believes the advice will help older couples to conceive. She said: "It is a pain to give up caffeine, it is a pain to give up wine, but won't it be worth it when you have your own baby?" However IVF doctors questioned how effective the meat and dairy-free diet would be. Professor Bill Ledger, a fertility expert from Sheffield University, said: "We tend to create a lot of guilt in people these days. "The worry is that some gullible young woman will read this book and start living that life and miss out on a lot of fun and normality."
MANLY SOLUTIONS:
FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NEGLECTED ISSUE OF MALE INFERTILITY, VISIT GREEN LINK BELOW:
Question: When is the Best Time to Have Sex to Get Pregnant? Answer: To get pregnant, you need to have sex before you ovulate, with the two to three days prior to ovulation being your most fertile days. But how will you know when you’re going to ovulate? And when and how often should you have sex if you want to get pregnant? Predicting Ovulation and the Day 14 Myth Something else often heard, even from doctors, is that ovulation is on day 14 of the menstrual cycle (with day one being the day you get your period). Some women hear this and decide to plan to have sex on day 14. The problem is that many women don’t ovulate on day 14 of their cycle. Normal ovulation can occur as early as day 10 and as late as day 20 (or even later, especially if your cycles are irregular). So how can you predict when you will ovulate? There are many methods available, including using ovulation predictor kits or tracking your basal body temperature. There are advantages and disadvantages to these methods. But research says that the best day for sexual intercourse when trying to get pregnant is the day you notice the most fertile cervical mucus. Fertile cervical mucus is cervical discharge that resembles raw egg-white and typically appears on the days prior before ovulation.
Using Cervical Mucus to Time Sex for Pregnancy A research study done at the University of North Carolina looked at which was a better predictor of sex that would lead to pregnancy: sex based on basal body temperature charting results or changes in cervical mucus. What they discovered was that, regardless of what day ovulation actually occurred, pregnancy was more likely to happen if the couple had had sex on a day when fertile cervical mucus was present. This may be because cervical mucus helps the sperm survive and "swim along." Still, there are other reasons why waiting until your most fertile days may not be the best way to go about getting pregnant. Why Waiting for Ovulation Isn’t the Best Idea Sometimes we get so obsessed about having sex at the right time, we neglect sex at other times during the cycle. Sex begins to feel more like a chore, becoming less about love and connection. This can put tremendous stress on a relationship. Beyond that, though, there are other reasons not to wait that pertain to your fertility itself. If you try to time sex only for ovulation, you’re more likely to miss your opportunity. If you’re waiting and waiting for ovulation signs, you could miss them or they could occur when sex just isn’t possible. Research does say that sex during the six days prior to ovulation does indeed have the possibility of resulting in pregnancy. If you plan on having sex two to three times a week, regardless of fertility signs, you’re likely to have sex at least once during this six-day time period. This is less stressful than trying to time sex for a particular few days. In addition, research studies have shown that after 10 days of abstinence, sperm quality and quantity is greatly diminished. Sperm quality and quantity peaks, however, after one or two days of abstinence. If you’ve waited to have sex until you have signs of ovulation, and you haven’t had sex for several days before, the sperm your partner provides may not be as fertile. You may be at your most fertile time, but he won’t be at his peak fertility
Fertility Info in 'The Plan': What Doctors Don't Tell You
