Whether you’re seeking professional fertility counseling or would simply like to consider having a family one day soon, there are a number of factors to consider. Yes, fertility drug regimens can increase your chances, but so can maintaining the right kind of good health in both yourself and your partner. Reducing oxidative stress and keeping an eye on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production can actually improve your overall chances of becoming new parents. But what are these seemingly cryptic medical terms and what do they have to do with you? Below, we’ll talk about what you need to know, how these stressors can impact fertility and steps you can take to improve your health.
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
What exactly are these ROSs? Well, they aren’t species in terms of what we would normally recognize as a plant or animal life form. They’re molecules that, similar to ions, have lost an electron due to chemical reactions during normal metabolism. They’re also known as oxygen radicals or pro-oxidants and the National Institute of Health defines them as:
“Molecules or ions formed by the incomplete one-electron reduction of oxygen. These… include singlet oxygen, superoxides, peroxides, hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid. They contribute to the microbicidal activity of phagocytes, regulation of signal transduction and gene expression and oxidative damage to nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids.”
In other words, they fall into the catch-all category of “free radicals” and they aren’t especially good for you. When your body’s ability to regulate them and counteract their nasty effects falls behind the levels of these altered molecules contained in your system, you experience oxidative stress. While this has an impact on all your body’s functions, from brain chemistry to LDL cholesterol levels in your blood, it especially impacts fertility. This is where that oh-so-popular buzzword comes into play. Anti-oxidants, which are derived from food sources are your first line of defense. These molecules quite literally denature ROS molecules and render them harmless. Another source of antioxidants are those your body produces from building blocks contained in foods and beverages. But antioxidants alone are not enough to increase your fertility in an environment teeming with opportunities to tip that critical balance. Monitoring your behavior also becomes critical and avoiding actions or habits that increase oxidative stress are a secondary line of defense against the damaging impacts of free radicals or ROS molecules.
Healthier Bodies and Fertility
When we talk about keeping a healthy balance to improve fertility, we aren’t just speaking to one sex or the other. Taking steps to reduce oxidative stress in your system is great for both partners, and increases not only the likelihood of pregnancy, but a successful term and a healthy baby as well. Plus, these are easy to incorporate into your daily life, improving how you feel.
Healthy Diet
Good Fats, Bad Fats
Along with your spectrum of fruits and vegetables, be sure to incorporate good fats, mono and polyunsaturated, and kick the bad ones to the curb—hydrogenated, most saturated and trans fats. Select fatty fish, seeds and nuts, avocado, olive oil and hard cheeses to give a boost to your body’s ability to fight free radicals.
Be Active and Maintain a Healthy Body Mass
While it is true that during the body’s natural process of detoxification the liver produces free radicals, it’s actually remarkably easy to assist in the neutralization of these substances. Oxidative stress will only occur if you are exposed to or ingesting more toxins than your liver can handle and not consuming enough of the nutrients your body needs to balance itself. The key theme here is balance. A healthy individual will have a natural fertility rate. When things become off-kilter—hormonal imbalances, or lifestyle stressors and dietary insufficiencies—infertility occurs. Additional therapies may be investigated after you’ve taken steps to ensure you and your partner are practicing healthy and happy lifestyles.