Planning on making a baby? It won't happen without zinc!



Zinc - the mighty fertility mineral


Zinc is essential For sperm health, ovarian function, and embryonic development.  It affects hormone production too.


  •     Sperm production and quality – low zinc results in poor shape (morphology), lost and disoriented swimmers (mobility), and poor-quality sperm. It is a key component of sperm cells and is essential for sperm production, spermatogenesis.

  •     Hormone regulation for men and women - zinc is essential for the regulation of progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol.

  •     Ovulation – zinc is important for the correct functioning of the ovaries and regulation of the menstrual cycle. It is involved in the ovarian follicles' maturation and the egg's release during ovulation.

  •    Embryonic development – zinc is essential for the development and growth of the embryo after fertilisation. Adequate levels are needed for correct cell division, DNA synthesis, and embryonic development.


So often, subfertility can be improved with therapeutic supplementation or dietary increase of zinc. 

Adequate amounts of zinc are dependent on many factors.  Perhaps it is being provided in the diet and then whether it is utilised is another matter.  People more at risk of low zinc include vegans, those with digestive issues such as leaky gut, or low stomach acid or taking the OCP, being pregnant or breastfeeding. Most often I see heavy metals, especially copper, blocking the uptake of zinc and this becomes one of my first tasks to increase fertility.

Zinc can only be in foods if it is in the soil. If present in the soil, zinc will be in products from the soil…vegetables, especially leafy greens, grains, nuts and seeds, and meat. Seafood, especially oysters, is a bountiful zinc source.



Zinc Tips

  •    Not all zincs are equal. Zinc citrate is well-absorbed and zinc sulphate, the least absorbed. Zinc carnosine is recommended for stomach lining health/ulcers.

  •    There are no body stores of zinc, making daily intake necessary.

  •   DO NOT take zinc on an empty stomach. Zinc needs to bind with amino acids (protein), which should be a part of every meal.

  •    Some zinc supplements have quite large amounts of Vitamin A. While this is not a problem in the preconception stage, it could be in pregnancy. High Vitamin A levels can be toxic to the baby. It is a very abundant vitamin in our diets, so read labels well.

  •    Zinc is essential for stomach acid production. Without stomach acid, proteins are not broken down, minerals are not assimilated, and pathogens are not destroyed. Stomach acid drives much of gut health and nutrient availability.

 

 

 

deborah pym