Omega 3 and Fertility

Omega 3 are a family of fats which must be obtained from your diet - your body cannot make them so you need to consume them either via food or supplementation. The types of omega 3 which are particularly helpful for fertility are EPA and DHA. Our cells are made from fat, we need to feed them with fat to help them operate. Think of omega 3 like the walls of the house, there is no point in decorating the house without solid walls.

So how does Omega 3 help fertility?

Reduces inflammation

Supporting ovulation

Supporting progesterone production

Helping egg development

Sources of omega 3 include oily fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovy, sardine, herring) and plant based sources include walnuts, flax, chia. Here's the thing, when we aim to obtain omega 3 from plant sources the body has to do a LOT of work to convert ALA (plant omega 3) to EPA/DHA (the forms that the body uses). Some people can convert well, many cannot.

100g of wild salmon provides between 1000mg-2000mg of omega 3.

Typically supplementation recommendations for fertility are around 3500mg daily. That would mean 1-3 pieces of salmon a day which is way over the recommended amount of 2 pieces a week.

This is where supplementation can be helpful. I see a number of people in clinic who do not consume fish, and my recommendation is always to test omega 3 levels. Once we know what we are working with I can guide you in terms of diet and supplementation.

Head over to Instagram to hear more about omega 3 and its roll in fertility https://www.instagram.com/rr_fertilitynutrition/

If you are looking for support with your fertility and want to understand more about what is happening in your body get in touch with the clinic.