Egg quality is something that most couples going through IVF will have heard about. Its one of the most important aspects of fertility and it has been thought to be the difference between conceiving and infertility. Egg quality was something that was largely thought to be set from birth, and that nothing could influence it. We of course know better now.

Research has for the last few years now shown that certain antioxidants can change an aging egg to become more viable in IVF and for natural fertility too. The most famous of these is CoQ10, which has been noted in many studies to not only improve egg quality but restores post ovulatory aging, improves oocyte maturation to ovulation, helps fertilisation capacity and reduces stress induced DNA damage. If that sounds too technical the short version of it is that it does improve your chances of conceiving even in older women and can help turn back the clock on your eggs. Vitamin E, vitamin C, L-arginine, Inositol and Omega3’s and others are also linked with better egg quality and fertility outcomes.

Getting the right antioxidant and the right dose for your personal needs is the hard part: this can depend on age, your methylation requirements and your natural detoxification abilities (how well your gut, liver and bowels work). Coq10 and all the others won’t be of any use, though, if you are not looking after your health in general. Equally as important as antioxidants are

• Hormonal balance – especially for older women
• Proper blood flow and circulation through the whole body but specifically the pelvis,
• A nutrient dense anti inflammatory diet
• A managed stress environment
• Correcting vitamin and mineral intake for ovulation

One of the most common misunderstandings about egg quality is that it also takes 90 days for an egg to reach proper maturity to be used in ovulation. So any antioxidants or measures taken to increase egg quality will take a minimum of 90 days to have the full impact. This shouldn’t put you off making the changes and taking the supplements, but remember – optimum health takes time and needs patience.

Piecing together the whole health puzzle is what gets results in the end. For help with your own health puzzle, contact me to find out more.