How zinc affects male, female fertility

 Pump kin seeds very rich in zinc

Maintaining a healthy body that is ready to conceive and carry a child requires getting just the right mix of nutrients. Unfortunately, far too many of us fail to provide our body with the fuel it needs to build strong cells and organs that are prepared for the job at hand.

How zinc affects male fertility

As important as zinc levels are to a woman's fertility, it may even more vital to a man's ability to get his partner pregnant. Considered one of the most important trace minerals to date for male fertility, increasing zinc levels in infertile men has been shown to boost sperm levels; improve the form, function and quality of male sperm and decrease male infertility.

When low levels of zinc are found in the male reproductive tract, a variety of disorders may present themselves.

Immature sperm: zinc is necessary in the creation of the outer membrane and tail of a sperm. Without it, the sperm cannot mature to a stage that gives them the mobility and strength to make the long journey through the vagina, cervix and into the uterus for fertilization to take place.

Chromosomal changes: low levels of zinc may also be the reason chromosomal defects in the sperm which could cause a miscarriage even if fertilization and implantation do take place.

How Zinc affects a woman's fertility

In women, zinc plays a vital role in many key reproductive health areas including:

Egg production: a woman's body needs a certain amount of zinc to produce mature eggs that are ripe for fertilization.

Maintaining proper follicular fluid levels: without enough fluid in the follicles, an egg cannot travel the course through the fallopian tubes and into the uterus for implantation.

Hormone regulation: zinc is just one of the minerals that the body uses to keep hormone levels (like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone) levels stable throughout the entire menstrual cycle. It is especially important during stage 2 and 4 of a woman's cycle.

Low levels of zinc have been directly linked to miscarriage in the early stages of a pregnancy, according to The Centers for Disease Control's Assisted Reproductive Technology Report which tracks the results of numerous fertility research reports being administered throughout the nation.

Here is another reason why women should get enough zinc: it can help to reduce the size of fibroids. Since fibroids are a cause of infertility themselves, doing what you can to reduce their size can help to make getting pregnant easier for some women. Taking just 30 mg of zinc a day may help to decrease the size of inflamed fibroids; thus increasing the chance for a pregnancy to occur.