The eternal supplement conundrum!

[Darcy1996]

Hi all, hope all doing well and all optimistic going into 2024 - and/or grateful for what we’re leaving behind.

I’m reviewing our supplements going into ‘24 as a friend of a similar age is on so many I think she must rattle! She is on her IVF journey ahead of me so getting all the advice she can - she’s made me worry we’re not doing enough, and she’s paying about £170 a month which is out of my budget (I’ve chosen to put my budget into acupuncture and therapy rightly or wrongly).

Like us all, I’ve digested all of the books and all of the blogs 🤞🏻

Currently I’m on Pregnacare Conception multivitamins which I appreciate isn’t the top quality but is in our budget, plus CoQ10 Ubiquinone 300mg twice a day (thanks to this page), plus Optibac conception probiotics and prescribed ferritin/iron as separately I’m anaemic.

The more I read, the more I don’t think I’m doing enough, and wonder if I need to be taking DHEA, but then what dose as also read lots of you are being tested on this to check levels are ok, and I’m not under a clinic. Thinking to start with 25mg. Also querying if I need vitamin D and magnesium (more to help with sleep).

If we can sort finances, we’ll be starting IVF in Feb/March but with my age, I don’t want to lose any time by being told then I should have taken 2/3 months of x supplement.

I’m currently waiting for ovulation day this cycle to book in for my 2nd biopsies in Warwick to get some more answers but in a nutshell I’m 2 1/2 years into TTC, can’t afford IVF during that time, aged 42 and told by NHS infertility/gynaecology team that there’s nothing more they can do so can’t ask that team anything more - so honestly this site is invaluable as I feel like I don’t have any medical support/team to ask.

Hope that makes sense and sorry for the rambling. Thanks all!

[Skittles11]

Hello

You have alluded to it but I really wouldn't recommend taking DHEA without testing your DHEA and Testosterone levels. It can be good for a certain cohort of people but if - for example - you have PCOS it would be a bad idea to take any DHEA. You can test yourself through a finger prick test, I've used Medichecks before and you will get online feedback telling you what your levels are which could help inform your decision of whether to take it or not x x

[Darcy1996 in reply to Skittles11]

Thank you, I only learnt about medichecks through this site in last 24 hours and the prices look good too so may do a Jan mot & include this. Cheers Skittles11

[Purpledoggy]

I definitely recommend vitamin D and I have a few previous posts on it. I really think a huge number of people in the UK have subclinical vitamin D deficiency -unless you’re regularly in the sun all year round it’s very easy to have a suboptimal level. The NHS recommends 50 nmol/L is adequate for most people, yet different professional bodies like the Endocrine Society, and some research papers, recommend a higher level for fertility eg 75-100 nmol/L. I need to take 5,000iu a day to maintain a normal (>50 nmol/L) level as I avoid the sun (previous skin cancer), wear factor 50 in summer, and don’t eat dairy. I just don’t think 400iu a day is enough for a lot of people in this country. Your clinic may have tested your level already but if not it’s worth having it tested. Xx

[Darcy1996 in reply to Purpledoggy]

Thank you, I’m going to go back and check my last results, but you’re so right about vit D in this country - and I’m like you, factor 50 on, avoid the sun - one I’ll check f’sure

[Fruitandflowers]

I think if you did a poll on here there probably isn't a correlation between those who spent a fortune on supplements and success, and those who did virtually nothing/bog standard and still got 'lucky'. Infertility is so complex and so much of it is unexplained that sometimes spending more and trying one more supplement/food/wellness regime helps to make us feel a bit more in control of what is often entirely out of our hands. So I wouldn't compare yourself to what your friend's doing or worry about not spending the same as there is a bit of an industry around conception aids and then again during pregnancy because we would pay or do anything to get our dream, and you can probably get the equivalent benefits for much less. I found own brand skin, hair and nails supplements had the same (or more) stuff than the supplements specific for conception, and things like vit d and omegas can be pretty cheap. I got separate ubiquinol and folate (vs folic acid) as these seemed to come out in everyone's posts, but just off amazon and nothing like what you could pay. No idea if any of it worked but my eggs were fine and we always got top quality blasts so they didn't do any harm.

[Darcy1996 in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense and good to hear you’ve had good success. What is it they say, “comparison is thief of joy” and there’s already a lot of joy-sucking in this situation! 🤣 I guess with so much conflicting information, I just want to know I’ve done my best, as we all do 💜

[Twiglet2]

thanks for this post- you are on the same as me (except I don’t always do probiotics and I add in extra vitamin D generally as just about everyone in Scotland needs it whether trying to conceive or not according to my GP and clinic!) so I’m interested to see the replies. I also looked into DHEA but my clinic doesn’t really discuss it or test for it so I dont want to start messing with something when I don’t know if it will do bad or good. I tried impyrl last round on recommendation of my clinic but you can’t take that with ubiquinol so this time I’ve went back to that instead as impyrl was pretty expensive and didn’t make any difference to me personally! I think it’s all individual and not sure how much any of it really works except the folic acid and vitimins D to be honest there is so many confusing and conflicting blogs and books out there!! Xx

[Darcy1996 in reply to Twiglet2]

Exactly that, SO much confusion and conflicting information….and money making! One site I saw charged £170 a month for a fertility base/starter pack and I just don’t have that kind of cash - but ofc I’d find it, if it was going to help us. I am definitely going to look at my vitamin D levels after yours & Purpledoggy ’s posts 💜

[Doodlebug23]

I know someone who when TTC used Zita West. Worked for her first time and this time she’s now expecting twins! I looked at the FET pack (£136) and then bought similar but cheaper off Amazon.

I am waiting for AF to start next FET and am starting supplements today. I have:

Pregnancy multi vit - Boots

High strength folic acid

CQ10

DHEA

Psyillium husk

Olive leaf extract - antioxidant I already had

vitamin D spray

Probiotic - apparently lactobillus crispatus is the important one

I may rattle 😂

[Darcy1996 in reply to Doodlebug23]

Thank you, I saw the vitamin D spray, that seems a really good idea - and well done you for researching and getting the cost down. Good luck, sounds like you’ve really done your research into the rattle 🤣

[Doodlebug23 in reply to Darcy1996]

I’ve never had Vit D spray before and not sure how I missed it as it’s NHS recommended. My tablets now don’t fit into 1 pill box 😂🙈

[PineappleCrumble]

I have no idea whether it would work out cheaper than your current regimen but I found Proceive to contain most if not all vitamins I needed. Easier to just have one (plus they do omega 3 separately) xx

[Darcy1996 in reply to PineappleCrumble]

Thank you PineappleCrumble - I’ll see how that stacks up vs mine atm 👍🏻

[Eloquentia]

Hi! I think, frankly, that what some companies are charging for fertility supplements is immoral and completely unjustified. More expensive doesn't necessarily mean better or even good, i.e. Zeta West's maternity vitamins contain vitamin A which is a no go for pregnant women, and the other vitamins are in significantly higher doses than the ones recommended as safe for the foetus by the NHS...If you have done the research, then you can source the vitamins you need separately. For my successful FET I took vitamin D spray, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, folic acid and oral and vaginal probiotics. For the stimulations phase of IVF, my clinic recommends Proxeed for both women and men. We added more Ubiquinol, Vitamin D spray and probiotics to that. Plus a healthy balanced diet and fertility reflexology for me to keep the nerves at bay. Very best of luck!

[Darcy1996 in reply to Eloquentia]

I agree with you - I’m certainly seeing the money-making side of conception more and more and it hurts (my head, heart, and wallet!). Thank you for sharing what you took for your successful FET - the vitamin D spray has come up a few times so I’m going to check my last bloods and order this too.

[TTC_babylexie]

I read the book 'it starts with the egg' by Rebecca Fett. At the end of the book there's different list of supplements for various conditions but all with the intention of improving egg quality, eg. For low ovarian reserve, for pcos, etc. I followed the list exactly (except for one supplement that didnt agree with my stomach) and got 10 x day 5 embryos to freeze at age 40 (almost 41). Ideally 3 months before transfer, so if you start now you have enough time.

[Darcy1996 in reply to TTC_babylexie]

That’s a fantastic number, congratulations!

[Debsdex11]

Zita West worked for me ( I had two previous miscarriages from IVF transfers, and wanted to change some things just to see if it helped on the third try) just searched what had the best reviews which was the Zita West and am now 26 weeks pregnant - like others have said it was probably nothing to do with that, but I would use that again myself if I try again in the future. It’s about £30 a month and I didn’t take anything else. Good luck xx

[Darcy1996 in reply to Debsdex11]

Thank you, and congratulations!!

[Chel91]

At age 42 it's probably very likely that DHEA would benefit you greatly. I would consider paying privately for the blood tests to monitor. If you are going to fork out for IVF it makes sense to make sure that it's all in a good range for at least 3 months. It can seemingly really impact cycle outcomes for those 40+. The main studies are done by Gleicher if you want to look into that. The expensive IVF vitamins are probably a waste of money in comparison. What you are taking is likely fine!

Also agree with high dose vitamin D (like 3000 IU + daily, way more than is in multivitamin). Some research about those with the MTHFR variant taking methlyfolate instead of folic acid - but I don't have this so never looked into it much. xx

[Darcy1996 in reply to Chel91]

Thank you!

[Believeinmiracles82]

My NHS clinic advised that we both took vitamin D, 1000iu as well as both taking Folic acid 400mg as a minimum. I do take preconception vitamin, coenzyme Q10, Omega3,6,9, vitamin E. Just ordered DHEA but think I will get a test as I am a bit worried about taking it