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Becky: A very warm welcome to Becky & Ben’s Fertility Spotlight.
Ben: We’re breaking down infertility with a focus on clarity and compassion.
Becky: Today, we speak to Hayley Paul on the science behind fertility foods.
Ben: As we always say, speak to your doctor for personalized advice.
Becky: Let’s dive into fertility and nutrition. What to eat, why, and when.
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Ben: Hayley, lovely to have you in the studio. Nutrition is a big one. 10 years ago, when we had our treatment, we just winged it a bit and just took a few vitamins. Today, fertility patients, they do own their fertility nutrition a bit more, don’t they?
Hayley Paul: Yes, absolutely. I think you’re so right. There’s a lot more curiosity out there as to what else can be helpful in order to enhance somebody’s chances of success. Nutrition is certainly one of those solid pillars that somebody can easily enhance that has a huge impact on fertility outcomes and then the successful conception.
Ben: Does that basically mean it’s a bit more serious and a bit more science-based?
Hayley: Yes, absolutely. I’ve done my certification through The Institute for Functional Medicine. Essentially, what functional medicine means is that we really dig into people’s genetics. We look at their diet, their lifestyle, their blood work, and their medical history. Then we try and make sure that we get down to the root causes of what may be hindering their fertility or maybe what just needs to change just to enhance their fertility. We can do that on a personalized biochemical level by going into all of that deep information.
Becky: I’m very interested in the way that you focus on genetics. Can you tell me more about that?
Hayley: Yes, I absolutely love running genetic testing ahead of somebody starting their fertility program. There’s a very specific test that I like to use that focuses on fertility and maternal outcomes. Essentially, what it looks at is all of the genes that are really going to have big influence on successful conception and then also how to manage down pregnancy risk. Things like the development of gestational diabetes or whether you’re predisposed to hypertension or preeclampsia.
That way, we know right from the outset what it is that we need to be looking after. Tweaking the diets and tweaking the supplementation in order to try and prevent those problems occurring.
Becky: Would that be something that, for example, someone’s mother or father might have had?
Hayley: Yes. Sometimes that is very clear in their medical history. That is something that is quite common, but it’s not always something that people are aware of. We do know that with IVF in particular, it does increase the likelihood of somebody developing things like hypertension or gestational diabetes. Really getting clear on whether or not there is a loaded genetic risk there as well is actually very helpful for the health of the mother going forward.
Ben: Particularly for older mothers, we certainly find our clinic being quite guarded with patients having donor embryos or donor eggs because I think their predisposition towards those two things, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, are possibly even more.
Hayley: Advanced maternal age does come with a unique set of challenges, but with everybody, as long as we’re aware of what those risks are, then we can take preventative steps. I don’t worry too much. I never focus on somebody’s age. Actually, I’ve seen some really wonderful outcomes. It’s just something that I don’t worry too much about in terms of somebody’s age.
Becky: That’s great to hear because I’m sure a lot of fertility patients will be listening and thinking, “Oh, that is interesting,” because often people worry about their age and, of course, the quantity of eggs. When we had our treatment, the internet was full of “You can eat a ton of pineapples, and that’ll make you feel great.” Can you tell us a bit more about fertility foods?
Hayley: I really like to work with a specific structure. That just gives somebody guide rails that makes it really easy to understand what targets they need to try and reach on a daily basis in terms of the different types of food groups that they want to be bringing into their body to really enhance their health and well-being.
Ben: When we had our treatment, literally everybody I met said, “Ben, your sperm, eat Brazil nuts.” Is that good? I don’t know now. Maybe it helped.
Hayley: Absolutely. Brazil nuts, you will often hear them mentioned as a fertility staple. That is because they contain really good amounts of selenium in them. That selenium is known to improve sperm parameters, but it’s also actually known to enhance the quality of your eggs to do follicular maintenance, which is the little house that the immature eggs are sitting in. Something that I would say, yes, absolutely. That wasn’t bad advice for you to receive. It was great advice even at the time. [laughs]
Becky: I drank a load of pineapple juice when I was trying to get pregnant with Ida when I’d had my embryo transfer. There was so much pineapple juice in the fridge. We mentioned this in a previous episode, didn’t we? Then I was reading something about actually how pineapple is not necessarily that helpful.
Hayley: Yes. Really interestingly, there’s a lot of stuff out there about pineapple core specifically, supposedly supporting implantation. That is a myth that I would really like to debunk because actually the core of the pineapple has a really good concentration of something called bromelain in it, which is a proteolytic enzyme. What that means is that it helps to break down protein. Now, if you think about it in the very, very early stages of conception, your baby is just a little ball of cells called a blastocyst. That blastocyst is predominantly made up of protein.
Eating something that is going to be proteolytic just doesn’t make any sense. Then, on top of that, with regard to pineapple, there is some good research that shows that it is a uterotonic. Basically, what that means is that it can actually get the uterus to contract. Again, in the early stages of pregnancy, we absolutely don’t want that happening because we are wanting to retain the pregnancy. We’re not wanting to create any kind of motion that might result in a spontaneous abortion.
Becky: That’s a classic example of myself 12 years ago reading something on the internet and not really being aware of the risks.
Ben: I remember people saying beetroot was good. I would imagine that oily fish is a pretty safe bet, but we don’t really know which fish to eat.
Hayley: That would be your anchovies, your sardines, salmon, trout, and mackerel. You then can go into slightly larger oily fish, which is things like tuna, but we know that they have a much higher heavy metal burden. We really discourage too much tuna.
Becky: Are we talking about mercury here?
Hayley: Yes, exactly. A lot of people as well, when I say, “Oh, you can eat tuna,” I actually put a guardrail on that and say, “Once every two weeks.” Then I specifically will ask them to have tuna fillets because that’s higher in the essential oils. The actual canning process strips a lot of those really healthy fats out of the tuna. Then you’re not getting the full therapeutic benefit of that food. It’s just looking at those nuances.
Certainly, some of my favorite oily fish are the really teeny tiny ones, so the anchovies and the sardines. Most people will wrinkle their noses up when I say sardines. If you can teach yourself to eat these– I hid anchovies in my spaghetti bolognese that I made for the children the other night. [laughs] That makes it work for you. Sardines, in particular, I love, because if you get the ones that have got small edible bones, it also delivers a really good amount of calcium in a super safe form as well for the mum. They are powerful in multiple different ways.
Ben: I remember buying some sardines a couple of weeks ago, and I went for the more expensive ones from Spain, I think it was. They were really good. There was this amazing Sicilian pasta recipe that we found, do you remember? I made it with those. I thought, “Well, actually, sardines, pretty good. I like that.”
Becky: Absolutely. If you can get enthused about your kind of cooking at the same time, then it just makes it much easier, doesn’t it? I was very interested to read that full-fat dairy products can boost female fertility. Is that true?
Hayley: This is an interesting one. I wouldn’t say that they are necessarily a fertility booster, but there was this really prospective study. It was run over eight years. It was run across 18,500 women. What they noted in this particular study was that the women that consumed large quantities of low-fat dairy had many more anovulatory cycles, so cycles where they didn’t ovulate. Obviously, if you’re not ovulating, there’s no chance of conceiving.
That the women that had the full-fat dairy had far more stable ovulation in their cycles. I would certainly be taking that into account, and I would be having full-fat dairy rather than skimmed or semi-skimmed.
Becky: People who don’t eat dairy, what do you suggest?
Hayley: You can obviously use plant-based alternatives. They do not deliver the same nutritional benefit as dairy, so we’re looking at slightly different things and what purpose that would serve in their diet. Not everybody gets on with dairy. There’s a lot of people that have got a casein sensitivity to the dairy protein, others that have got a lactose sensitivity to the milk sugar. Dairy is definitely not a feed that everybody would want to include. It’s just if you do eat it, use the whole.
Becky: Just go for it.
Hayley: Yes, exactly. Whole milk rather than skimmed.
Ben: I notice in the supermarkets these days, you can get more of these fancy cereal seeds, can’t you, like chia seeds and pumpkin seeds and that kind of thing. I know there’s one that you’re a fan of called maca seeds. Could you tell us more about those?
Hayley: The maca is actually a maca powder. Maca is something that has actually got quite good evidence that it does support fertility. Both male and female fertility, so it supports sperm parameters as well. With women, it seems to support follicular stimulating hormone. That helps to mature your eggs and also potentially luteinizing hormone that is your ovulation trigger. Maca is certainly a superfood that I would say is worth exploring. You can add that into smoothies, you can put it into your hot chocolate. Actually, that’s one of my favorite ways of having it in the winter months.
Becky: Are there any other superfoods that you would recommend?
Hayley: Well, Ben mentioned beetroot earlier. I have to say I am a big fan of beetroot for a number of different reasons. It’s got incredible antioxidant qualities, and that’s what gives beetroot its lovely, rich color. It’s also a wonderful source of folates and fiber. It also supports our nitric oxide levels in the body. Basically, what nitric oxide does is it helps the blood vessels to dilate, and so that improves our circulation. If you think about getting really good oxygenation and nourishment to the ovaries and to the uterus, beetroot would be something that would support with that. Actually, interestingly, maca powder does it as well. It also helps with nitric oxide.
Ben: I’m thinking of a couple who come in and say, “I want to have a baby in three months.” What do you tell them?
Hayley: Well, I’d say three months is wonderful. Mostly, I get people that are saying, “I’m having IVF in two weeks.” [laughs] Three months is great. Four months is preferable because that’s the amount of time that it’ll take for us to really enhance the quality of the egg and for a man to produce new sperm. I’d be looking at getting at least two portions of protein into their diet on a daily basis. That’s concentrated portions of protein.
We are aiming for roughly 8 to 10 plant portions on a daily basis as well, where 8 of those would be vegetables and max 2 of them would be fruits. Then we want to try and get a portion of nuts and seeds and up to two portions of grains, but really trying to actually minimize our grains because a lot of people I find are eating three to five portions of grains a day. That can really create problems with their blood sugar handling, and it can also spark off inflammation in their body.
We look at getting that into the right ranges. Then we try and boost their healthy fat consumption, whether it be through oily fish or through the inclusion of lovely healthy oils on their salads, avocado, olives, those kinds of things as well, just to make sure that we’ve really rounded things out and given them a complete package to focus on.
Becky: Would you say the protein comes from thing like lentils, or would you say it’s from chicken or grass-fed beef? What do you recommend?
Hayley: I love people to have a combination. There is really great research that people that eat a more plant-based and fish-inclusive diet have better fertility outcomes. However, I am going to say that having the inclusion of some grass-fed red meats can be very useful as well. The reason that we go for grass-fed red meats is that basically these are higher in omega-3 fatty acids, whereas if you’re getting the commercially farmed meats, we then have a hormone burden, an antibiotic burden, and also more omega-6s in that meat profile. That is a more inflammatory profile.
Becky: Presumably iron as well from–
Hayley: It’s the iron. Exactly. Having some good-quality red meats in there can be very useful because, pre-pregnancy, we really want to build the iron stores because once you are pregnant, you’re then going to be creating red blood cells for two bodies. That can make pregnant ladies susceptible to anemia. I do see that in my clinic on a weekly basis. Trying to make sure that they’ve got good iron stores ahead of pregnancy is very useful.
Ben: I’m sure a lot of people who come to you are quite motivated. In some ways, you’ve got a captive audience. Do you find that, actually, they can make changes quite quickly?
Hayley: Yes. I really love this. This is one of the reasons that I so enjoy working in fertility and in pregnancy, because people are so motivated. It’s so rewarding because when you’re actually tracking their biomarkers in their blood work, you see these parameters shift miraculously and really rapidly as well.
You just know that they are going to be in a really great place, ready to receive their IVF treatment. That is very exciting because when somebody is undergoing something like IVF, I want the best possible outcome in the least number of rounds of IVF possible. Anything that I can do to make sure that this is their most successful round, I want to be able to help.
Becky: Yes, that’s fantastic. I wanted to ask you about caffeine. Do you feel that people can get away with one or two cups of coffee or tea a day?
Hayley: You totally can. I think the world has a coffee problem, doesn’t it?
[laughter]
Becky: I do.
Hayley: I am just going to say I’ve recently, two weeks ago, stopped drinking coffee. I suffered for a whole seven days. I now am feeling so much lighter, so much calmer. I was really only having one cup of coffee a day. I can therefore say that from that personal experience, actually getting it down to no coffees would be helpful. Actually, when we’re on a fertility journey, we don’t know where the endpoint of that is going to be.
If it’s going to make somebody feel really just sad or demotivated, to take away their caffeine is not a sensible thing to do. The guideline with that is to keep their caffeine consumption under 300 milligrams per day, preferably under 200 milligrams per day.
Becky: Which is about one or two cups a day. Is that right?
Hayley: Absolutely. It essentially allows for up to two cups of coffee a day, or even better, I would try and get them to swap one of those for a tea because tea is roughly two to three times less caffeine. Then that actually is within a reasonable limit.
Becky: I discovered the other day that green tea, for example, is actually quite high in caffeine. Do people need to be wary of that?
Hayley: They do need to be wary of that, particularly if they’re swapping out teas and coffees for green tea. Then they can sometimes accidentally hike their caffeine consumption too high. However, I can say as well is that green tea is also one of my superfoods for fertility. I try and get people to have a cup of green tea on a daily basis because it raises your levels of plant-based antioxidants really rapidly. Actually, that will have a profound impact on your egg quality. As long as you’ve got your caffeine margins in check, green tea is definitely something that is favorable to include as part of your fertility foods.
Becky: Could you tell me a bit more about glutathione?
Hayley: This is something that, again, I like to really look at in people’s bloods because a lot of people are slightly low in glutathione. It’s something that the genetic testing is very helpful with as well because a lot of people have these genetic anomalies, which we call SNPs, where the gene doesn’t quite work as effectively as it would if it was perfect. They don’t necessarily produce enough glutathione.
This particular antioxidant is known as the mother of all antioxidants. It recycles all of the other antioxidants. If you have robust levels of glutathione, you naturally will have more buoyant levels of all of the other antioxidants. That’s going to reduce free radical damage and inflammation, keep your hormones nice and stable, look after your eggs, all this kind of thing. It’s also a maestro of the immune system.
It keeps the immune system in really good balance as well. There is great evidence that if you can have really good levels of glutathione, that it is going to enhance your quality of eggs, but also the likelihood of having a successful conception. When it comes to preparing women for IVF, we often, in the last couple of weeks, just ahead of the implantation, we’ll actually get them to start having some whey protein shakes as long as these are well-tolerated by their body.
That is something that allows us to lift somebody’s glutathione levels without necessarily supplementing directly with glutathione.
Becky: Thank you for clarifying that. Good digestion is so key as well as harmonizing all your nutritional issues and so on. Could you just tell us about how we promote good digestion?
Hayley: One of my favorite topics. [chuckles] This is so important, Becky, because actually, again, I see so many people, when I’m looking at their labs, they might eat the best diet in the world, and here I’m talking like chicken and broccoli and sweet potato for breakfast, and just really paying attention to detail and just doing everything that they possibly can right from the outset of the day all the way through, literally have incredibly low levels of amino acids in their bloodstream because they are not able to digest and absorb the amazing nutrients that they are putting into their body.
A lot of that will come down to maldigestion, but it might also come down to microbial overgrowths within the digestive system as well. When it comes to digestion, it always begins in the mouth. Taking a pause when your food is on the table and allowing your eyes to absorb the sight of it, allowing your nose to breathe in the scent of it, will trigger saliva. That, as it starts to drip down your throat, will come into your stomach. That will cue your stomach to begin to produce adequate levels of hydrochloric acid to begin that process of digestion.
You obviously need to try and chew really thoroughly. You want to be really trying to get a baby mush consistency before you swallow your food down. Then the stomach, once the stomach acid levels have risen really nicely, will then be able to begin that process of digestion. That stomach acid, when it reaches a certain level, will then cue the small intestine, so the liver and gall bladder, and then the pancreas, to then produce additional enzymes to actually help to further continue the process of digestion in the small intestine.
Ben: What you’re saying there is basically you want people to be a bit more visual at the start of their meals to kick-start that digestion?
Hayley: Absolutely. Just take a mindful moment, breathe it in, take in the sights, and then allow that natural process to begin. That will actually really radically improve the way that your body handles your food.
Ben: I read in the papers just this week a grim story about processed foods, saying that it’s a global threat.
Hayley: Yes, absolutely. Ultra-processed foods are really well documented to be a major fertility blocker. They actually also do affect semen parameters as well. They are going to compromise your sperm health too. Then there’s also more research that is showing us that actually they may interfere with the process of development of the embryo into a fetus. Getting the junk food down, and preferably completely out if you can, is really advisable.
Ben: A salami is processed, isn’t it, for example?
Hayley: Yes, and sausages that everybody loves. [laughs] Yes, and even things like your ready meals as well. You’ve got to be really super careful. I would put something like corn on that ultra-processed food list as well. You’ve got to be very careful about the types of foods that you choose to put into your body.
Becky: The first two years of a baby’s life are key for nutrition. When fertility patients are successful and they have their wonderful babies, it’s so key that they continue this incredibly healthy lifestyle. Is that right?
Hayley: Yes, it’s absolutely critical. It’s amazing. The research points to the fact that preconception has a huge impact on the baby’s health and development. That would totally make sense because it immediately would have all of the wonderful building blocks that it needs to create its body right from the get-go. However, that conception all the way through until the age of two is absolutely critical in terms of creating a foundation of health.
That health is believed to support the child across its lifespan. Really paying attention to your diets through the preconception period and during your pregnancy, and then also feeding your baby well when it is born can make a massive difference. It literally is the gift that keeps on giving. You are parents. I’m a parent. You know there is absolutely nothing you wouldn’t do for your children. This is something that you can bank [chuckles] to know that you have set them up well if you do this right.
Ben: Our fertility days are over, but a lot of people listening to this podcast want to make themselves fitter and better for treatment. Thank you so much for joining us today.
Becky: Yes, it’s been absolutely fascinating. Thank you.
Hayley: Thank you for having me. It’s been wonderful to be here.
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Becky: That was Becky & Ben’s Fertility Spotlight.
Ben: If you like what you heard, please join our growing community on Instagram, @fertilityspotlight.
Becky: Next time, we’ll be speaking to the renowned London doctor, Ruwan Wimalasundera, about managing high-risk pregnancies.
Ben: For medical advice bespoke to you, always speak to a doctor or nurse.
Becky: Don’t despair.
Ben: We’ll get there.
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[00:25:49] [END OF AUDIO]
Nutrition During IVF: 9 Crucial Tips
If you’re planning IVF treatment, food won’t make or break a cycle on its own. But your nutritional intake can affect egg and sperm health, your hormones, and even your uterine environment. However, there’s little evidence that IVF ‘superfoods’ guarantee a positive outcome.
A high-quality Mediterranean diet, perhaps with some very carefully chosen supplements, may be the best approach. For PCOS patients, myo-inositol or metformin may help. But there are no nutritional ‘must-haves’ that IVF patients need to stick to religiously.
The truth is, IVF is demanding enough without nutritional myths adding more pressure. A balanced, sensible diet is best. So here are some practical, evidence-based steps worth focussing on.
1. Make your IVF diet a Mediterranean one
As mentioned above (it’s our key tip), if there’s one way of eating that comes up continually in fertility research, it’s the Mediterranean-style diet. In IVF and assisted reproduction studies, eating in this way has been linked to better clinical-pregnancy and live-birth outcomes. That said, the evidence is promising, not definitive.
So what exactly is a Mediterranean diet? IVF patients should focus on the following foods:
fewer processed meats, sweets and heavily processed foods
This is a better approach than obsessing over so-called fertility superfoods. The myth of drinking pineapple juice to boost IVF implantation chances has long since been debunked. Optimal IVF nutrition works best as a pattern, not a quick fix.
2. Start early – ideally three months before IVF
Eggs and sperm don’t respond overnight. Nutritional changes are more meaningful when you start them well before your fertility stimulation. In our podcast episode about fertility and nutrition, Hayley Paul makes the practical point that fixing your diet at least three months before treatment is best.
That’s sensible advice. But if your treatment cycle is starting within three months, don’t panic. Even a few weeks of better eating can improve blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, aid digestion and enhance your nutrient intake.
A useful mindset is this: don’t just ‘eat perfectly’ a few days before embryo transfer. Eat consistently well in the lead-up to IVF.
3. Prioritize protein at every meal
Protein is one of the easiest things to neglect when you’re anxious, busy or trying to optimise your diet. Before of during IVF, minimising protein can backfire.
Protein contains essential amino acids. It also steers you away from meals that overdo refined carbohydrates. Two portions of protein daily may be sensible – or about 45 grams per day for a woman weighing 60 kg.
Protein-rich foods include:
A mixed approach works well: more plant proteins and fish overall, with some high-quality animal protein when required. Research on IVF nutrition often highlights fish, whole grains, nuts and unsaturated fats as the key proteins, but don’t exclude the others.
4. Focus on folate – and take a multivitamin, not random supplements
If you’re trying to conceive, naturally or via IVF, you should probably be taking a prenatal supplement that includes folic acid. Speak to your doctor. Folic acid before conception is one of the most consistently supported nutrition interventions in reproductive care. It’s almost always mentioned in evidence reviews around IVF, so don’t ignore it.
It’s important not to buy a host of unproven fertility supplements, just because social media told you to. Covering the basics is key. A sensible IVF supplement plan usually starts with:
Stick to a good-quality multivitamin containing folic acid, a broad range of vitamins and minerals, the main B vitamins, iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium. Check the daily amounts you need, as opposed to what is included, on the pack – you’ll inevitably need to supplement some of the vitamins and minerals via your daily food intake. Vitamins are a back-up. Your food intake comes first.
5. Choose fats that help, not fats that inflame
Fat matters when to comes fertility nutrition, but the type of fat you eat is more important than the amount.
Choose unsaturated fats, found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados and oily fish. These foods are sometimes associated with better IVF outcomes – again, they’re often found in a Mediterranean diet. However, a review of numerous IVF diets couldn’t be sure which regional diet – Mediterranean, Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Greek – worked best for fertility patients.
Back to unsaturated fats, the best food options include
Brazil nuts are also an excellent source of selenium (good for male fertility), and beetroot has an impressive amount of folate, fibre and nitrate-related circulation support. But, as always, keep individual foods in perspective. A varied overall diet, not magic bullets, is best.
6. Eat fish – but watch the mercury
Fish can be a very smart IVF food: it’s rich in protein, omega-3 fats and key micronutrients. But not all fish are equal.
It’s best to lean towards smaller oily fish: sardines, anchovies, salmon, trout and mackerel. Be a little cautious with larger fish like tuna, since it may contain mercury – a no-no for conception and pregnancy.
A good approach is to eat low-mercury, omega-3-rich fish regularly – once or twice a week. Sardines are especially good because they’re nutrient-dense, affordable and, if you eat the soft bones, a handy source of calcium.
7. Keep caffeine moderate
You don’t have to give up caffeine altogether to give your IVF cycle a chance. But overdoing your coffee intake, perhaps to counter the stresses of treatment, isn’t a great fertility strategy either.
The best thing to drink under 200 mg of caffeine per day. This is broadly consistent with pregnancy guidance and conception advice. Moderate caffeine intake below that level doesn’t appear to be a major contributor to miscarriage risk, but higher intakes are more risky.
Three important points about caffeine:
If cutting down caffeine before or during IVF is hard, taper down gradually. Swap a coffee for a cup of tea, or a decaffeinated hot drink. And watch those energy drinks, colas and chocolate – they contain caffeine too.
8. Cut back hard on ultra-processed foods
This may be our most important IVF nutrition tip.
A major study on ultra-processed foods and fertility found that high consumption of these products negatively affects male fertility. They are also linked to slower embryo growth and smaller yoke-sac volume.
In our podcast episode with nutritionist Hayley Paul, she describes ultra-processed foods as a ‘fertility blocker’. The more your meals come from packets, ready meals, processed meats, pastries, sweets and fast food, the harder it is to get the fibre, protein, healthy fats and micronutrients IVF preparation needs.
You don’t need a perfect diet. But reducing ultra-processed foods is one of the best dietary adjustments you can make.
9. Ignore implantation myths and protect your peace
Pineapples, royal jelly, gluten-free food – IVF myths refuse to die. There’s no strong evidence that any of these boost implantation chances. More importantly, IVF nutrition should never focus on a handful of foods. Diets should be broad and sensible.
The most evidence-based approach is much less dramatic:
The bottom line on nutrition during IVF
The best IVF diet is not extreme, revelatory or punishing. It’s balanced, repeatable and grounded in evidence. And it starts at least three months before treatment.
And one more thing. If you have PCOS, endometriosis, IBS, celiac disease, a low or high BMI, anaemia, insulin resistance or food allergies, consider seeing a nutritionist. A more tailored IVF dietary plan may be needed. For anyone else, look after yourself by eating more healthily. It’s easier than you think. Just don’t overthink it.
Frequently Asked Questions: Nutrition During IVF
Does diet really affect IVF success?
Diet isn’t the only factor, but it can influence the metabolic, hormonal and inflammatory environment around treatment. Research suggests that better overall diet quality, especially a Mediterranean-style diet, may support improved IVF outcomes in some patients.
What is the best diet during IVF?
The best approach, in most cases, is a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, olive oil, whole grains and fish, with fewer processed foods and less added sugar. It’s a better bet than relying on a small handful of so-called ‘fertility foods’.
Which foods are good for egg quality during IVF?
No single food transforms egg quality. The best approach is a nutrient-rich diet overall. Healthier foods include oily fish, eggs, beans, lentils, leafy greens, berries, nuts, seeds and olive oil. Full, balanced meals also support stable blood sugar levels.
Are Brazil nuts good for fertility?
Brazil nuts contain selenium, which is involved in antioxidant defence and may support sperm health. They’re worth eating, in moderation, but they’re not a standalone ‘fertility food’. Think of them as one small part of a bigger nutrition picture.
Is pineapple good after embryo transfer?
There’s no evidence that pineapple, or pineapple core, improves implantation. It’s one of the most common IVF myths online. Don’t rely on it, or let internet chat distract you from the nutritional basics that matter more.
Can I drink coffee during IVF?
Usually yes, in moderation. A practical target is to keep caffeine consumption below 200 mg a day. That usually means one regular coffee – or two, depending on size and strength. Remember that tea, green tea, cola and energy drinks all count towards your daily caffeine limit.
Should I take supplements during IVF?
Most patients should take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid or folate, Beyond that, supplements should be treated with care. Evidence for most fertility supplements is mixed to poor. Be wary. Run any supplements by your fertility doctor or clinic.
Is full-fat dairy better than low-fat dairy for fertility?
Dairy isn’t essential for everyone and it’s not a guaranteed fertility booster. If you tolerate dairy, moderate amounts can fit into a healthy IVF diet. If you don’t, you can have a healthy nutritional intake without it.
How long before IVF should I focus on my diet?
Ideally, start around three months before treatment – or earlier if you can. That gives more time to boost sperm production, balance hormones, and enhance your overall nutritional status. If your treatment cycle starts sooner, improving your diet now is still worthwhile.
What foods should I avoid eating during IVF?
Try to limit ultra-processed foods, excess caffeine, alcohol, foods high in sugar, and fish that may contain mercury. The goal is not perfection. It’s about creating a steadier, more nutrient-friendly routine that supports treatment without adding stress or guilt.
To hear our podcast interview with Hayley Paul, a nutritional therapist with a keen interest in IVF and diet, listen to our podcast episode below.
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Becky: A very warm welcome to Becky & Ben’s Fertility Spotlight.
Ben: We’re breaking down infertility with a focus on clarity and compassion.
Becky: Today, we speak to Hayley Paul on the science behind fertility foods.
Ben: As we always say, speak to your doctor for personalized advice.
Becky: Let’s dive into fertility and nutrition. What to eat, why, and when.
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Ben: Hayley, lovely to have you in the studio. Nutrition is a big one. 10 years ago, when we had our treatment, we just winged it a bit and just took a few vitamins. Today, fertility patients, they do own their fertility nutrition a bit more, don’t they?
Hayley Paul: Yes, absolutely. I think you’re so right. There’s a lot more curiosity out there as to what else can be helpful in order to enhance somebody’s chances of success. Nutrition is certainly one of those solid pillars that somebody can easily enhance that has a huge impact on fertility outcomes and then the successful conception.
Ben: Does that basically mean it’s a bit more serious and a bit more science-based?
Hayley: Yes, absolutely. I’ve done my certification through The Institute for Functional Medicine. Essentially, what functional medicine means is that we really dig into people’s genetics. We look at their diet, their lifestyle, their blood work, and their medical history. Then we try and make sure that we get down to the root causes of what may be hindering their fertility or maybe what just needs to change just to enhance their fertility. We can do that on a personalized biochemical level by going into all of that deep information.
Becky: I’m very interested in the way that you focus on genetics. Can you tell me more about that?
Hayley: Yes, I absolutely love running genetic testing ahead of somebody starting their fertility program. There’s a very specific test that I like to use that focuses on fertility and maternal outcomes. Essentially, what it looks at is all of the genes that are really going to have big influence on successful conception and then also how to manage down pregnancy risk. Things like the development of gestational diabetes or whether you’re predisposed to hypertension or preeclampsia.
That way, we know right from the outset what it is that we need to be looking after. Tweaking the diets and tweaking the supplementation in order to try and prevent those problems occurring.
Becky: Would that be something that, for example, someone’s mother or father might have had?
Hayley: Yes. Sometimes that is very clear in their medical history. That is something that is quite common, but it’s not always something that people are aware of. We do know that with IVF in particular, it does increase the likelihood of somebody developing things like hypertension or gestational diabetes. Really getting clear on whether or not there is a loaded genetic risk there as well is actually very helpful for the health of the mother going forward.
Ben: Particularly for older mothers, we certainly find our clinic being quite guarded with patients having donor embryos or donor eggs because I think their predisposition towards those two things, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, are possibly even more.
Hayley: Advanced maternal age does come with a unique set of challenges, but with everybody, as long as we’re aware of what those risks are, then we can take preventative steps. I don’t worry too much. I never focus on somebody’s age. Actually, I’ve seen some really wonderful outcomes. It’s just something that I don’t worry too much about in terms of somebody’s age.
Becky: That’s great to hear because I’m sure a lot of fertility patients will be listening and thinking, “Oh, that is interesting,” because often people worry about their age and, of course, the quantity of eggs. When we had our treatment, the internet was full of “You can eat a ton of pineapples, and that’ll make you feel great.” Can you tell us a bit more about fertility foods?
Hayley: I really like to work with a specific structure. That just gives somebody guide rails that makes it really easy to understand what targets they need to try and reach on a daily basis in terms of the different types of food groups that they want to be bringing into their body to really enhance their health and well-being.
Ben: When we had our treatment, literally everybody I met said, “Ben, your sperm, eat Brazil nuts.” Is that good? I don’t know now. Maybe it helped.
Hayley: Absolutely. Brazil nuts, you will often hear them mentioned as a fertility staple. That is because they contain really good amounts of selenium in them. That selenium is known to improve sperm parameters, but it’s also actually known to enhance the quality of your eggs to do follicular maintenance, which is the little house that the immature eggs are sitting in. Something that I would say, yes, absolutely. That wasn’t bad advice for you to receive. It was great advice even at the time. [laughs]
Becky: I drank a load of pineapple juice when I was trying to get pregnant with Ida when I’d had my embryo transfer. There was so much pineapple juice in the fridge. We mentioned this in a previous episode, didn’t we? Then I was reading something about actually how pineapple is not necessarily that helpful.
Hayley: Yes. Really interestingly, there’s a lot of stuff out there about pineapple core specifically, supposedly supporting implantation. That is a myth that I would really like to debunk because actually the core of the pineapple has a really good concentration of something called bromelain in it, which is a proteolytic enzyme. What that means is that it helps to break down protein. Now, if you think about it in the very, very early stages of conception, your baby is just a little ball of cells called a blastocyst. That blastocyst is predominantly made up of protein.
Eating something that is going to be proteolytic just doesn’t make any sense. Then, on top of that, with regard to pineapple, there is some good research that shows that it is a uterotonic. Basically, what that means is that it can actually get the uterus to contract. Again, in the early stages of pregnancy, we absolutely don’t want that happening because we are wanting to retain the pregnancy. We’re not wanting to create any kind of motion that might result in a spontaneous abortion.
Becky: That’s a classic example of myself 12 years ago reading something on the internet and not really being aware of the risks.
Ben: I remember people saying beetroot was good. I would imagine that oily fish is a pretty safe bet, but we don’t really know which fish to eat.
Hayley: That would be your anchovies, your sardines, salmon, trout, and mackerel. You then can go into slightly larger oily fish, which is things like tuna, but we know that they have a much higher heavy metal burden. We really discourage too much tuna.
Becky: Are we talking about mercury here?
Hayley: Yes, exactly. A lot of people as well, when I say, “Oh, you can eat tuna,” I actually put a guardrail on that and say, “Once every two weeks.” Then I specifically will ask them to have tuna fillets because that’s higher in the essential oils. The actual canning process strips a lot of those really healthy fats out of the tuna. Then you’re not getting the full therapeutic benefit of that food. It’s just looking at those nuances.
Certainly, some of my favorite oily fish are the really teeny tiny ones, so the anchovies and the sardines. Most people will wrinkle their noses up when I say sardines. If you can teach yourself to eat these– I hid anchovies in my spaghetti bolognese that I made for the children the other night. [laughs] That makes it work for you. Sardines, in particular, I love, because if you get the ones that have got small edible bones, it also delivers a really good amount of calcium in a super safe form as well for the mum. They are powerful in multiple different ways.
Ben: I remember buying some sardines a couple of weeks ago, and I went for the more expensive ones from Spain, I think it was. They were really good. There was this amazing Sicilian pasta recipe that we found, do you remember? I made it with those. I thought, “Well, actually, sardines, pretty good. I like that.”
Becky: Absolutely. If you can get enthused about your kind of cooking at the same time, then it just makes it much easier, doesn’t it? I was very interested to read that full-fat dairy products can boost female fertility. Is that true?
Hayley: This is an interesting one. I wouldn’t say that they are necessarily a fertility booster, but there was this really prospective study. It was run over eight years. It was run across 18,500 women. What they noted in this particular study was that the women that consumed large quantities of low-fat dairy had many more anovulatory cycles, so cycles where they didn’t ovulate. Obviously, if you’re not ovulating, there’s no chance of conceiving.
That the women that had the full-fat dairy had far more stable ovulation in their cycles. I would certainly be taking that into account, and I would be having full-fat dairy rather than skimmed or semi-skimmed.
Becky: People who don’t eat dairy, what do you suggest?
Hayley: You can obviously use plant-based alternatives. They do not deliver the same nutritional benefit as dairy, so we’re looking at slightly different things and what purpose that would serve in their diet. Not everybody gets on with dairy. There’s a lot of people that have got a casein sensitivity to the dairy protein, others that have got a lactose sensitivity to the milk sugar. Dairy is definitely not a feed that everybody would want to include. It’s just if you do eat it, use the whole.
Becky: Just go for it.
Hayley: Yes, exactly. Whole milk rather than skimmed.
Ben: I notice in the supermarkets these days, you can get more of these fancy cereal seeds, can’t you, like chia seeds and pumpkin seeds and that kind of thing. I know there’s one that you’re a fan of called maca seeds. Could you tell us more about those?
Hayley: The maca is actually a maca powder. Maca is something that has actually got quite good evidence that it does support fertility. Both male and female fertility, so it supports sperm parameters as well. With women, it seems to support follicular stimulating hormone. That helps to mature your eggs and also potentially luteinizing hormone that is your ovulation trigger. Maca is certainly a superfood that I would say is worth exploring. You can add that into smoothies, you can put it into your hot chocolate. Actually, that’s one of my favorite ways of having it in the winter months.
Becky: Are there any other superfoods that you would recommend?
Hayley: Well, Ben mentioned beetroot earlier. I have to say I am a big fan of beetroot for a number of different reasons. It’s got incredible antioxidant qualities, and that’s what gives beetroot its lovely, rich color. It’s also a wonderful source of folates and fiber. It also supports our nitric oxide levels in the body. Basically, what nitric oxide does is it helps the blood vessels to dilate, and so that improves our circulation. If you think about getting really good oxygenation and nourishment to the ovaries and to the uterus, beetroot would be something that would support with that. Actually, interestingly, maca powder does it as well. It also helps with nitric oxide.
Ben: I’m thinking of a couple who come in and say, “I want to have a baby in three months.” What do you tell them?
Hayley: Well, I’d say three months is wonderful. Mostly, I get people that are saying, “I’m having IVF in two weeks.” [laughs] Three months is great. Four months is preferable because that’s the amount of time that it’ll take for us to really enhance the quality of the egg and for a man to produce new sperm. I’d be looking at getting at least two portions of protein into their diet on a daily basis. That’s concentrated portions of protein.
We are aiming for roughly 8 to 10 plant portions on a daily basis as well, where 8 of those would be vegetables and max 2 of them would be fruits. Then we want to try and get a portion of nuts and seeds and up to two portions of grains, but really trying to actually minimize our grains because a lot of people I find are eating three to five portions of grains a day. That can really create problems with their blood sugar handling, and it can also spark off inflammation in their body.
We look at getting that into the right ranges. Then we try and boost their healthy fat consumption, whether it be through oily fish or through the inclusion of lovely healthy oils on their salads, avocado, olives, those kinds of things as well, just to make sure that we’ve really rounded things out and given them a complete package to focus on.
Becky: Would you say the protein comes from thing like lentils, or would you say it’s from chicken or grass-fed beef? What do you recommend?
Hayley: I love people to have a combination. There is really great research that people that eat a more plant-based and fish-inclusive diet have better fertility outcomes. However, I am going to say that having the inclusion of some grass-fed red meats can be very useful as well. The reason that we go for grass-fed red meats is that basically these are higher in omega-3 fatty acids, whereas if you’re getting the commercially farmed meats, we then have a hormone burden, an antibiotic burden, and also more omega-6s in that meat profile. That is a more inflammatory profile.
Becky: Presumably iron as well from–
Hayley: It’s the iron. Exactly. Having some good-quality red meats in there can be very useful because, pre-pregnancy, we really want to build the iron stores because once you are pregnant, you’re then going to be creating red blood cells for two bodies. That can make pregnant ladies susceptible to anemia. I do see that in my clinic on a weekly basis. Trying to make sure that they’ve got good iron stores ahead of pregnancy is very useful.
Ben: I’m sure a lot of people who come to you are quite motivated. In some ways, you’ve got a captive audience. Do you find that, actually, they can make changes quite quickly?
Hayley: Yes. I really love this. This is one of the reasons that I so enjoy working in fertility and in pregnancy, because people are so motivated. It’s so rewarding because when you’re actually tracking their biomarkers in their blood work, you see these parameters shift miraculously and really rapidly as well.
You just know that they are going to be in a really great place, ready to receive their IVF treatment. That is very exciting because when somebody is undergoing something like IVF, I want the best possible outcome in the least number of rounds of IVF possible. Anything that I can do to make sure that this is their most successful round, I want to be able to help.
Becky: Yes, that’s fantastic. I wanted to ask you about caffeine. Do you feel that people can get away with one or two cups of coffee or tea a day?
Hayley: You totally can. I think the world has a coffee problem, doesn’t it?
[laughter]
Becky: I do.
Hayley: I am just going to say I’ve recently, two weeks ago, stopped drinking coffee. I suffered for a whole seven days. I now am feeling so much lighter, so much calmer. I was really only having one cup of coffee a day. I can therefore say that from that personal experience, actually getting it down to no coffees would be helpful. Actually, when we’re on a fertility journey, we don’t know where the endpoint of that is going to be.
If it’s going to make somebody feel really just sad or demotivated, to take away their caffeine is not a sensible thing to do. The guideline with that is to keep their caffeine consumption under 300 milligrams per day, preferably under 200 milligrams per day.
Becky: Which is about one or two cups a day. Is that right?
Hayley: Absolutely. It essentially allows for up to two cups of coffee a day, or even better, I would try and get them to swap one of those for a tea because tea is roughly two to three times less caffeine. Then that actually is within a reasonable limit.
Becky: I discovered the other day that green tea, for example, is actually quite high in caffeine. Do people need to be wary of that?
Hayley: They do need to be wary of that, particularly if they’re swapping out teas and coffees for green tea. Then they can sometimes accidentally hike their caffeine consumption too high. However, I can say as well is that green tea is also one of my superfoods for fertility. I try and get people to have a cup of green tea on a daily basis because it raises your levels of plant-based antioxidants really rapidly. Actually, that will have a profound impact on your egg quality. As long as you’ve got your caffeine margins in check, green tea is definitely something that is favorable to include as part of your fertility foods.
Becky: Could you tell me a bit more about glutathione?
Hayley: This is something that, again, I like to really look at in people’s bloods because a lot of people are slightly low in glutathione. It’s something that the genetic testing is very helpful with as well because a lot of people have these genetic anomalies, which we call SNPs, where the gene doesn’t quite work as effectively as it would if it was perfect. They don’t necessarily produce enough glutathione.
This particular antioxidant is known as the mother of all antioxidants. It recycles all of the other antioxidants. If you have robust levels of glutathione, you naturally will have more buoyant levels of all of the other antioxidants. That’s going to reduce free radical damage and inflammation, keep your hormones nice and stable, look after your eggs, all this kind of thing. It’s also a maestro of the immune system.
It keeps the immune system in really good balance as well. There is great evidence that if you can have really good levels of glutathione, that it is going to enhance your quality of eggs, but also the likelihood of having a successful conception. When it comes to preparing women for IVF, we often, in the last couple of weeks, just ahead of the implantation, we’ll actually get them to start having some whey protein shakes as long as these are well-tolerated by their body.
That is something that allows us to lift somebody’s glutathione levels without necessarily supplementing directly with glutathione.
Becky: Thank you for clarifying that. Good digestion is so key as well as harmonizing all your nutritional issues and so on. Could you just tell us about how we promote good digestion?
Hayley: One of my favorite topics. [chuckles] This is so important, Becky, because actually, again, I see so many people, when I’m looking at their labs, they might eat the best diet in the world, and here I’m talking like chicken and broccoli and sweet potato for breakfast, and just really paying attention to detail and just doing everything that they possibly can right from the outset of the day all the way through, literally have incredibly low levels of amino acids in their bloodstream because they are not able to digest and absorb the amazing nutrients that they are putting into their body.
A lot of that will come down to maldigestion, but it might also come down to microbial overgrowths within the digestive system as well. When it comes to digestion, it always begins in the mouth. Taking a pause when your food is on the table and allowing your eyes to absorb the sight of it, allowing your nose to breathe in the scent of it, will trigger saliva. That, as it starts to drip down your throat, will come into your stomach. That will cue your stomach to begin to produce adequate levels of hydrochloric acid to begin that process of digestion.
You obviously need to try and chew really thoroughly. You want to be really trying to get a baby mush consistency before you swallow your food down. Then the stomach, once the stomach acid levels have risen really nicely, will then be able to begin that process of digestion. That stomach acid, when it reaches a certain level, will then cue the small intestine, so the liver and gall bladder, and then the pancreas, to then produce additional enzymes to actually help to further continue the process of digestion in the small intestine.
Ben: What you’re saying there is basically you want people to be a bit more visual at the start of their meals to kick-start that digestion?
Hayley: Absolutely. Just take a mindful moment, breathe it in, take in the sights, and then allow that natural process to begin. That will actually really radically improve the way that your body handles your food.
Ben: I read in the papers just this week a grim story about processed foods, saying that it’s a global threat.
Hayley: Yes, absolutely. Ultra-processed foods are really well documented to be a major fertility blocker. They actually also do affect semen parameters as well. They are going to compromise your sperm health too. Then there’s also more research that is showing us that actually they may interfere with the process of development of the embryo into a fetus. Getting the junk food down, and preferably completely out if you can, is really advisable.
Ben: A salami is processed, isn’t it, for example?
Hayley: Yes, and sausages that everybody loves. [laughs] Yes, and even things like your ready meals as well. You’ve got to be really super careful. I would put something like corn on that ultra-processed food list as well. You’ve got to be very careful about the types of foods that you choose to put into your body.
Becky: The first two years of a baby’s life are key for nutrition. When fertility patients are successful and they have their wonderful babies, it’s so key that they continue this incredibly healthy lifestyle. Is that right?
Hayley: Yes, it’s absolutely critical. It’s amazing. The research points to the fact that preconception has a huge impact on the baby’s health and development. That would totally make sense because it immediately would have all of the wonderful building blocks that it needs to create its body right from the get-go. However, that conception all the way through until the age of two is absolutely critical in terms of creating a foundation of health.
That health is believed to support the child across its lifespan. Really paying attention to your diets through the preconception period and during your pregnancy, and then also feeding your baby well when it is born can make a massive difference. It literally is the gift that keeps on giving. You are parents. I’m a parent. You know there is absolutely nothing you wouldn’t do for your children. This is something that you can bank [chuckles] to know that you have set them up well if you do this right.
Ben: Our fertility days are over, but a lot of people listening to this podcast want to make themselves fitter and better for treatment. Thank you so much for joining us today.
Becky: Yes, it’s been absolutely fascinating. Thank you.
Hayley: Thank you for having me. It’s been wonderful to be here.
[music]
Becky: That was Becky & Ben’s Fertility Spotlight.
Ben: If you like what you heard, please join our growing community on Instagram, @fertilityspotlight.
Becky: Next time, we’ll be speaking to the renowned London doctor, Ruwan Wimalasundera, about managing high-risk pregnancies.
Ben: For medical advice bespoke to you, always speak to a doctor or nurse.
Becky: Don’t despair.
Ben: We’ll get there.
[music]
[00:25:49] [END OF AUDIO]
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