Fertility nutrition at every stage – from TTC to IVF, age 35+ & more

Fertility nutrition for all stages and ages

TRB Founder Eloise chats with registered fertility nutritionist Isabelle Obert from Zita West Supplements, about baseline supplements and nutrition needed to support TTC, IVF and into pregnancy.

Watch as they cover these fertility nutrition specifics:

• Things to factor for both men and women: our focus is recognizing your distinct biological needs. If you’re looking for a supplement plan to support your journey, you can find Eloise’s supplement list by the Zita West supplement line that has supported her throughout her IVF journey and after.  
• Day-to-day nutritional support for couples: To diversify and expand your intake of vitamins and minerals, try embracing Isabelle’s advice. 
• Recommendations for couples aged 35 and over: as we get older, our fertility might potentially be affected. Alongside maintaining a wholesome diet, supplementing with key nutrients is a must!
• Integration of antioxidant sources: antioxidants will serve as formidable guardians for your fertility. Watch now to learn how. 
• Exploring further nutritional strategies: beyond the basics lies an array of specialized nutritional strategies tailored specifically for you. Whatever your nutrition plan may be, Zita West’s fertility bundles have a range of excellent probiotics that take care of your microbiome. 
• And so much more

All in all, championing fertility nutrition entails a diet rich in essential vitamins and minerals that can help you and your partner on your TTC, IVF and pregnancy journeys or otherwise. 

If you’re looking for premium supplements crafted to nurture fertility, the Zita West Supplements range offers a comprehensive solution. 

Grab 10% off your purchase by using the code TRB10* at checkout.

Transcript

Eloise Edington

Hello, everybody! Welcome! Today I’m going live with Isabelle Obert, a registered nutritionist supporting Zita West supplements. She has personally consulted with me and helped me achieve my goals when trying to conceive (TTC) and during my IVF journeys, so I have great respect and fond memories of working with Isabelle. She will be talking about fertility nutrition at every stage, from TTC to IVF, especially for those age 35 and over, as well as baseline support for couples and what individuals can do to help. I’m going to welcome her in now so we can go live.

Hi to everyone joining! Nice to see you! Have your questions ready about fertility nutrition. Hi Isabelle! 

Isabelle Obert

Hi Elise! How are you? 

Eloise Edington

I’m good, thank you. How are you?

Isabelle Obert

Very well, thank you. Lovely to see you. 

Eloise Edington

You too! It’s been a while, but I just did a brief introduction and mentioned that you helped me on a personal level, so for that, I’m very, very grateful. Please, introduce yourself.

Isabelle Obert

I’m Isabelle Obert, a fertility nutritionist, and I’ve worked at the Zita West clinic and with IVF for nearly 20 years now. That ages me a lot, but there we go!

Eloise Edington

Today, we’re going to be talking about products and how they can benefit people at different stages. I’d like to start by asking if people are building out a supplement regime as a couple, what’s a good baseline to aim for? What should both partners look to include in that regime, and when should they start?

Isabelle Obert 

Yes, good question. So, the absolute baseline if you’re starting out and, as far as you know, there are no issues would be a really good multivitamin formula, including vitamin D and omega-3. Those would be the basics, like Vitamen from the Zita West range and Vital DHA as the omega-3.

We also have foundation fertility bundles for couples, which include probiotics. There’s a male and a female one: the female one supports the uterine and vaginal microbiome, and the male one supports the male microbiome because men also have a seminal microbiome. The microbiome often gets overlooked, particularly with antibiotics and other factors, but it can be a really helpful addition.

However, a good multivitamin and an omega-3 are key. Ideally, we’d start three months before trying to conceive. The maturation cycle of an egg and sperm is roughly two and a half to three months, but it’s never too late.

Even if you start in a month, it’s still beneficial to get in there when you can because, with modern food and farming, it’s unclear if we’re getting everything we need from food alone.

Eloise Edington

Exactly. And as I mentioned, you helped me earlier last year when I went back to do IVF again, so I’ve been taking products from the Zita West range for a long time and continue to take them during pregnancy.

For those interested, you can check out what we’re talking about and use code TRB10 for 10% off the range.

Vitamin D is important, especially with the lack of sunlight in the UK. Would you suggest people get their vitamin D levels checked before they start taking it?

Isabelle Obert

Ideally, yes. It’s difficult to dose someone without knowing their vitamin D levels, which are likely lower at certain times of the year.

In winter, we’re inside more, and even in summer, with sunscreen use and less exposure, we may not get enough vitamin D.

There are safe, long-term doses of vitamin D, but it’s fat-soluble, so it builds up in the system. You shouldn’t take the same dose in winter and summer without breaks.

Some people may need vitamin D more, like those with darker skin tones or conditions like PCOS or thyroid issues, which are often linked to low vitamin D.

However, it’s possible to have too much if taken long-term at high doses.

Eloise Edington

And for a baseline, especially if you’re over 35?

Isabelle Obert

Folate is crucial. Folate is the natural, active form of folic acid, which is synthetic. Folate requires B12 and B6 to enter cells, so it’s better to take it as part of a complex.

Folate is essential for both men and women, as it’s linked to pregnancy success and reduces miscarriage risks.

For women, selenium, zinc, and iodine are also key. Good supplements often contain these.

Antioxidants become even more important for those over 35. Antioxidants are crucial for both egg and sperm quality and can be beneficial for people undergoing IVF.

Eloise Edington

We have another question: Can you take CoQ10 alongside Inofolic?

Isabelle Obert

Yes, I believe you can. The makers of Inofolic say you shouldn’t, but I’d suggest asking them directly about their reasoning. CoQ10 is different, as it’s an energy provider and antioxidant.

Eloise Edington

And do you recommend different supplements for those on a donor egg journey?

Isabelle Obert

For donor egg journeys, focus on the uterine environment and blood flow. Things like probiotics for the uterine microbiome, Vitamin E, selenium, folate, beta carotene, and Vitamin D are all helpful for implantation and fetal development. 

Eloise Edington

For men, how important is the baseline?

Isabelle Obert

Just as important. Folate is crucial for both men and women, as it reduces miscarriage risk and is essential for DNA quality. Vitamin D, selenium, and omega-3 also support sperm health.

They really cover up because they’ve got very fair skin or they don’t want to go braless, so that extra vitamin D can be useful and is really important for egg quality and implantation.

Then we’ve got Femceive, which is a probiotic specifically designed to support the vaginal microbiome, which may help improve the chances of implantation and reduce the risk of miscarriage. There is a lot of study being done on the microbiome at the moment, the gut one as well, but also the vaginal one, you know, particularly with recurrent IVF failure. I think it could be a really important place to consider.

The psyllium husk is our fibre supplement, which is designed to feed the beneficial bacteria. Now, if you’re following a high-fibre diet or feel you’ve got enough fibre, you may not need it, or you could have just one a day or something.

There are people who are a little bit more constipated or find digestion a little difficult, particularly when they’re put on progesterone, who can increase the fibre a little bit.

But it helps support beneficial bacteria and gives you the best outcome. I honestly take it religiously every day, even now, and I notice when I haven’t—it really keeps you regular.

Constipation is a big pregnancy symptom, so anything you can do that’s safe in pregnancy (and of course it is safe) to help is beneficial. There isn’t a specific dose; it’s dependent on you. Some days you might need more, other days less, but it’s really helpful.

Eloise Edington

Completely agree. Anything else that you would recommend for couples, supporting men and women over 35, that we haven’t mentioned? I know you mentioned NAC, which was introduced to the range last year, right?

Isabelle Obert

Yes, it was. I’m very fond of it. I use it a lot myself; it’s great for liver support and a good antioxidant as you get older.

From a fertility perspective, there is more study done on male fertility; we can’t test egg quality as we can with sperm, but we know it improves DNA fragmentation. In my opinion, it’s got to do the same in females.

It’s a potent antioxidant, and I often recommend it for women over 35, particularly in their late 30s and early 40s. It’s also very anti-inflammatory, so it’s great for endometriosis. It’s been studied in relation to endometriosis and PCOS, where it can help with hormone balance, reducing testosterone levels.

It’s also been studied with recurrent miscarriage, so I often recommend continuing to take it after transfer, potentially even for the first trimester, as there’s quite a bit of study on it.

It’s easy to take, generally well tolerated, though of course, some things don’t suit everyone, but on the whole, it’s well tolerated and a nice antioxidant to add.

Eloise Edington

Great. With the cost of living, it’s hard to always afford to eat organic. What would be your food hacks for navigating a healthy lifestyle?

Isabelle Obert

In an ideal world, of course, we’d all eat organic. There are some foods that tend to be sprayed more than others, known as the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen,” which you can look up easily online. Foods like berries, cherry tomatoes, and lettuce tend to have higher chemical residues, so if you can afford to buy those organic, great.

Otherwise, you can wash with a slightly acidic solution of baking soda and lemon juice, which can help remove some of the chemicals.

With the “Clean Fifteen,” there are foods less likely to have a lot of chemical residue, so I personally don’t buy those organic. If organic options aren’t available or are too expensive,

I’d still rather eat a big variety of veg, even if it’s not organic, because you still get the benefits.

Interestingly, NAC is great for liver support, so the better your liver functions, the more it will detoxify you anyway, which is a good point.

Eating more plant-based, with smaller amounts of higher-quality meats, and using larger amounts of pulses for protein and fiber, is more economical. We should all eat like that; we don’t need to have meat every day.

Eloise Edington

You mentioned this before, but for those struggling with PCOS, are there supplements to support that, like Inositol?

Isabelle Obert

Definitely. If someone could only do one thing, I’d suggest Inositol with folate. Inositol has been studied alongside folate, which is why the folate is included, though it’s only 200 micrograms, so ideally, you’d put a multivitamin on top of that.

I’d always recommend the Vitafem route if possible, but you could add Inositol with folate on top if you could do more.

NAC is also great for PCOS and works well with Inositol to reduce blood sugar levels, help insulin sensitivity, and potentially lower testosterone levels.

Omega-3 is anti-inflammatory, which is important since there is a degree of inflammation with PCOS, and ubiquinone, or CoQ10, helps with hormone function as well as egg quality.

Vitamin D is also essential, as a high percentage of women with PCOS are deficient. If someone could only choose one thing besides a multivitamin, I’d recommend Inositol first, along with vitamin D.

Eloise Edington

What’s the difference between the Vitafem and the Vitafem Boost in the Zita West range?

Isabelle Obert

The Vitafem is a multivitamin with all the essentials for preconception, which transitions into the Vital Essence range during pregnancy. These multivitamins contain recommended amounts of folate as recommended by the NHS, along with good amounts of vitamin D (better than most multivitamins) plus other essential nutrients.

The Vitafem Boost, however, is not a standalone multivitamin; it doesn’t contain folate. It’s more of an antioxidant support, designed to complement the Vitafem or another multivitamin. It’s really intended for antioxidant support to help with egg quality, liver detoxification, and so forth, where an extra boost might be needed.

Eloise Edington

Makes complete sense. This has been so interesting and thorough as always. Thank you so much.

Isabelle Obert

My pleasure!

Eloise Edington

And as I said, for anyone who wants to find out more about supplements to support them at any stage of their journey, please do head to our link in bio. You can use the discount code TB10, which will get you 10% off the entire range.

Isabelle Obert

Amazing. And please do send or DM any questions you have for the team at Zita West about the supplements and about supporting fertility and pregnancy throughout the whole journey.

Eloise Edington

Yes, absolutely. There’s a tailored supplement for every stage. And if we missed any questions, please feel free to message the team or us to be put in touch. Thank you very much.

Isabelle Obert

Lovely to see you, and I hope to see you again soon.

Eloise Edington

Absolutely. Bye.

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