Taking nutritional supplements may reduce the risk of ovulatory infertility according to a recent study which assessed the relationship between taking multivitamin supplements and fertility in women.

This study included 18,555 women who were tracked over an 8-year period, during which 438 women reported a problem with ‘ovulatory infertility’ (a failure to produce eggs for fertilisation).

The relationship between multivitamin use and risk of ovulatory infertility was as follows:

Women taking 2 or less multivitamin tablets per week had a 12 per cent reduced risk of ovulatory infertility but this was notstatistically significant.

Women taking 3-5 multivitamin tablets per week had a 31 per cent reduced risk of ovulatory infertility and this was statistically significant.

Women taking 6 or more multivitamin tablets per week had a 41 per cent reduced risk of ovulatory infertility and this was statistically significant.

Dr John Briffa, nutritional expert, said that he thought these results were significant enough to consider taking supplements on a regular basis.

“This study was ‘observational’ in nature, which means it can only be used to show an association between supplement-taking and improved fertility – it does not prove that taking supplements enhances fertility, however, these results are encouraging. Bearing in mind their low risk and low cost, I think there is potentially much to be gained (and little to be lost) by taking a nutritional supplement as part of a package designed to support health and fertility.

He added:

“As many women are opting to have children later on in their life maintaining a healthy lifestyle by exercising, avoiding potential toxins such as alcohol, cigarettes and recreational drugs, eating a balanced diet and perhaps taking nutritional supplements, may help to improve your chances of getting pregnant if or when the time comes.”

For more details visit www.drbriffa.com

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