When couples come to me struggling to conceive, there’s often a quiet heaviness in the room. They’ve tracked cycles, taken supplements, maybe even done several rounds of testing, and still, no answers. It’s one of the hardest parts of modern medicine: we’re given snapshots of lab results, but not always the full picture of what’s happening inside the body.
That’s where a functional medicine approach to fertility can shift everything. Rather than focusing only on ovaries, sperm, or a single hormone level, we look for why the body might be struggling to conceive. Fertility isn’t a standalone system, it’s a reflection of your entire ecosystem: hormones, metabolism, detox pathways, sleep, stress, nutrition, and environment.
Over the years, I’ve seen that when we nourish and support the body, conception often follows naturally. Let’s explore the key root causes of fertility challenges and what the research now tells us about how to support both egg and sperm health through nutrition and lifestyle.
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Hormones: The fertility orchestra
Every fertility journey starts with hormones. But contrary to what we often hear, “hormones” aren’t just estrogen and progesterone. They’re part of a much larger network that includes the thyroid, adrenal glands, and even insulin.
For women, thyroid health is one of the most overlooked factors in unexplained infertility. Even subtle imbalances can interfere with ovulation and implantation. Studies continue to confirm what functional practitioners have long observed: when thyroid hormones (especially free T3) are optimized, pregnancy rates improve.
Supporting the thyroid starts with food. I recommend a food-first approach with seaweed for natural iodine, 1–2 Brazil nuts daily for selenium, and iron-rich foods like spinach, lentils, or grass-fed beef. These nutrients are essential for healthy thyroid hormone conversion, but more isn’t always better; excessive iodine, for instance, can suppress thyroid function.
Hormone health also relies on stress resilience. Cortisol, our main stress hormone, competes with sex hormones for resources. Chronically elevated cortisol can delay ovulation or reduce sperm count. Supporting the adrenals through restorative sleep, balanced movement, and breathwork often has a profound effect on fertility, even before medications or interventions.
Newer research continues to affirm that dietary patterns rich in omega-3 fats, antioxidants, and fiber are associated with improved fertility outcomes in women and better sperm quality in men. In other words, what we eat daily is shaping our hormones more powerfully than we may realize.
Blood sugar and fertility: The hidden hormone link
When we talk about fertility, insulin doesn’t often make the list, but it should. Insulin isn’t just a blood sugar hormone; it’s a hormonal messenger that affects ovulation, testosterone levels, and inflammation.
I test nearly every fertility client for insulin resistance, because it’s far more common than most realize, even in people who appear lean. Elevated insulin can disrupt ovulation, promote excess androgen production, and contribute to conditions like PCOS. In men, it’s linked to lower testosterone and impaired sperm motility.
The good news is that the solution is beautifully simple: stabilize blood sugar. Research has consistently shown that a low-glycemic, whole-food diet, rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, improves ovulatory function and sperm quality alike.
This means meals centered around vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats, with fewer refined carbs and sugars. Even small improvements, like swapping white rice for quinoa or pairing fruit with protein, can make a difference.
Balanced blood sugar equals balanced hormones and that’s the foundation of a fertile body.
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Detoxification and environmental toxins: Clearing the path for conception
Another layer that functional medicine explores deeply is toxin exposure. Modern life exposes us to thousands of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA from plastics, phthalates in fragrances, parabens in skincare, pesticides in food. Many of these mimic hormones in the body, confusing receptors and throwing delicate fertility signals off balance.
Research continues to highlight the role of environmental toxins in both male and female infertility. Men exposed to higher levels of BPA, for example, have been found to have lower sperm concentration and motility. For women, even modest levels of certain endocrine disruptors have been linked to altered ovulation patterns and difficulty conceiving.
So detoxification isn’t a trendy buzzword, it’s a critical part of preconception care.
The goal isn’t an extreme “cleanse,” but to support the body’s natural elimination systems:
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Eating fiber-rich vegetables (especially cruciferous ones like broccoli and kale)
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Moving daily and sweating regularly
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Maintaining healthy gut flora (since the microbiome helps eliminate excess hormones)
When the body can efficiently clear excess estrogen and toxins, hormones begin to regulate naturally and fertility can follow.
Lifestyle medicine: How you live affects how you conceive
When I begin working with a couple, I always say: Your lifestyle is your fertility foundation. Sleep, movement, and stress are the pillars of hormone health, and often the missing pieces in an otherwise “healthy” life.
Sleep is where reproductive hormones are restored. Studies show that women who sleep fewer than seven hours per night are more likely to experience irregular cycles and lower progesterone. Men with chronic sleep deprivation show reduced testosterone and poorer sperm quality.
Exercise is another key player, but it’s about balance. Too little, and insulin resistance and inflammation rise; too much, and ovulation can shut down. The sweet spot tends to be moderate movement: strength training two to three times per week, walking, yoga, and activities that calm the nervous system.
Stress, perhaps more than any other factor, disrupts fertility through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis which is the communication line between your brain and your reproductive organs. When your body perceives danger, it prioritizes survival over reproduction. It’s not “all in your head”; it’s how you’re wired.
That’s why I often integrate mindfulness, acupuncture, or guided relaxation into fertility protocols. These aren’t just for mental wellbeing, they’re biological interventions that rewire the stress response, making the body feel safe enough to conceive.
Gut health and fertility: The new frontier
In recent years, one of the most exciting areas of research has been the gut–hormone connection. The gut microbiome doesn’t just digest food; it helps regulate estrogen metabolism, inflammation, and immune balance, all of which play key roles in fertility.
Imbalances in gut bacteria, known as dysbiosis, can impair detoxification of estrogen and create a state of chronic inflammation that interferes with ovulation and implantation. In men, emerging studies show that gut imbalances can even impact testosterone levels and sperm DNA integrity.
Supporting gut health before conception is one of the most impactful steps couples can take. This means focusing on fiber-rich foods, fermented vegetables, and prebiotic fibers from foods like onions, leeks, and green bananas. Sometimes, probiotics or stool testing can help personalize support further, but often, the foundation lies in simple, real-food diversity.
Nutritional foundations for fertility and sperm health
If there’s one universal truth in fertility medicine, it’s this: nutrition matters. Every egg and sperm you create is built from the nutrients you consume today.
Recent research confirms that diets high in vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and seafood, often referred to as the Mediterranean diet, are associated with higher pregnancy and live birth rates, both naturally and through IVF.
Key fertility-supportive nutrients include:
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Omega-3 fatty acids, found in wild-caught salmon, sardines, flax, and chia, which improve egg quality and sperm motility.
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Zinc and selenium, essential for sperm production and hormone metabolism.
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Folate and B vitamins, critical for DNA synthesis and embryo development.
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Antioxidants like vitamins C and E, which protect reproductive cells from oxidative damage.
On the other hand, diets high in trans fats, refined carbohydrates, and ultra-processed foods have been consistently linked to reduced fertility outcomes in both men and women.
One of the most encouraging findings in the last few years is that sperm quality can improve within just 70 to 90 days of dietary and lifestyle changes. Because sperm regenerate every three months, men have a powerful opportunity to influence conception through nutrition and detoxification.
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Seeing the whole system: When symptoms tell the story
In functional medicine, we never treat fertility in isolation. We treat the person.
I once worked with a woman who came in convinced her age was her biggest obstacle. But her labs told a different story with sluggish thyroid function, mild insulin resistance, and gut inflammation. Once we supported her thyroid, balanced her blood sugar, and healed her gut, her cycles normalized within three months. She conceived soon after, naturally.
That’s the beauty of the systems-based approach: it recognizes that the body is interconnected. Sometimes what seems unrelated like bloating, fatigue, or skin issues, is part of the fertility picture.
A note from WeNatal on boosting fertility naturally
If you’ve been struggling to conceive, please know this: your fertility story isn’t fixed. Healing often begins with understanding and the recognition that fertility is a reflection of your body’s overall balance and wellbeing.
At WeNatal, we believe conception starts long before a positive test. It begins with nourishment, restoration, and trust, supporting both partners through every phase of the journey. The science is clear: nutrition, sleep, stress, and environment profoundly shape reproductive health for women and men.
That’s why we created WeNatal to simplify the process of supporting your body naturally. WeNatal for Her and WeNatal for Him deliver the essential nutrients needed for egg and sperm health; WeNatal Omega DHA+ supports hormonal and cellular function; and WeNatal Rest + Digest helps restore the calm, balanced state where conception thrives.
Your next chapter begins with curiosity, nourishment, and hope, not fear. Fertility is more than the ability to conceive; it’s the art of bringing your body back into balance so that life can begin.
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References
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Alesi S, Habibi N, Silva TR, et al. Assessing the influence of preconception diet on female fertility: a systematic scoping review of observational studies. Hum Reprod Update. 2023;29(6):811-828. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmad018
Falsig AL, Gleerup CS, Knudsen UB. The influence of omega-3 fatty acids on semen quality markers: a systematic PRISMA review. Andrology. 2019;7(6):794-803. doi:10.1111/andr.12649
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Li KP, Yang XS, Wu T. The Effect of Antioxidants on Sperm Quality Parameters and Pregnancy Rates for Idiopathic Male Infertility: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:810242. Published 2022 Feb 21. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.810242
Muffone ARMC, de Oliveira Lübke PDP, Rabito EI. Mediterranean diet and infertility: a systematic review with meta-analysis of cohort studies. Nutr Rev. 2023;81(7):775-789. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuac087
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Salas-Huetos A, Mitsunami M, Wang S, et al. Women's Adherence to Healthy Dietary Patterns and Outcomes of Infertility Treatment. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(8):e2329982. Published 2023 Aug 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.29982
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