Basic supplements advice

[melwise42]

Hiya all,

Thought I'd post after spending ages trawling the internet and after reading it starts with the egg.

What basic supplements does everyone take? My fertility consultant just recommended folic acid and vitamin d, which I take alongside a B complex and omega 3. I have been reading that I should take a probiotic, a pre natal, and COq10 (am 36, endo caused infertility). Being referred for IVF.

My issue is the cost and also overwhelm at all these different supplements! I'd like to try to keep things simple until I find out more from the IVF clinic...just spending hours reading all sorts and if anyone has any advice please do share thank you xx

[Rachiebabe]

My clinic recommended a supplement for my partner due to sperm quality (he chose Proceive Max after his own research and it was readily available although the clinic recommended Impryl) and CoQ10 for me. I also read the same book, went down a rabbit hole and tried to be reasonable about things! I compared a few different pre-natals and Proceive Max seemed closet to recommendation from It Starts with the Egg. It doesn't include Omega 3 so added that along with a folic acid/vit d combination. I always take vit d in the winter months anyway. I told my clinic what I was taking and they were happy with it. NHS funded so think reluctant to recommend a ton of supplements for financial reasons, they said anything my body didn't use I would wee out! My partner's sperm quality improved a lot. I am also 36 but with unexplained fertility, egg collection produced 22 eggs after 3-4 months of me being on supplements and longer for my partner. I may have had similar number without but I could afford it and it felt like something I had power and agency over to do to help myself. Get a Holland and Barrett card - they always have great discounts! I also gave up caffeine and alcohol, we really tried to eat healthy and exercise twice a week. Best of luck to you in your journey.

[Eloquentia]

Hi! Supplements are a minefields, aren't they...I took Vitamins C, D and Zinc, folic acid, as well as CoQ10 in the form of ubiquinol before stimulations. Had to do a freeze all due to OHSS. For my successful FET, I took Vitamins C, D and Zinc, folic acid and oral and vaginal probiotics (biogaia and canesflor). Very best of luck on your IVF journey!

[beckystevens46]

my incredible friend has just created Ova which has just gone into Boots. She had failed IVFs came for a journalist background and realised that no decent fertility supp Pregnacare being the worst. Please look at Ova it has all you need and specific like folic folate and it’s affordable

[XXKKXX]

Forget it starts with the egg. There's absolutely nothing scientifically proven that improves egg quality. I was advised the same vitamin d, folic and a pre natal. I would advise omega tho on top.I spent an absolute fortune , q10 , omega , nmn, resveratrol .. you name it . I was spending around £200 a month on supplements leading upto my ivf... Still produced terrible quality eggs. In fact, so bad they couldnt even be frozen as grade was too poor.

This time around I'm going to be taking the basics prenatal and good diet and that's it.

It starts with the egg I'd just one women's experience. I've actually heard negative reports regarding the quoted mg of q10 messing with womens cycles . There wss a thread on mumsnet and there were so many women on the thread reporting the same that one of them said she was going to forward the post to the author.

There's no reliable large studies that confirm taking anything will improve egg quality and ivf outcome.

The more rounds of ivf you do, of course statistically your chances increase. A fertility consultant will tell you the same. It'd basic maths. If one woman has a poor ivf round and next time eats digestive biscuits she'll tell everyone the biscuits improved her egg quality .

If they study 10 women who had failed rounds and told them to eat digestive biscuits, of course some of those women are going to have a better outcome . Every round will increase their chances and it's absolutely going to be nothing to do with the biscuits.

Also the q10 advised ubiquibol, most of the studies demonstrating the benefits ( not on fertility) general benefits in the body are conducting using the standard form ubiquinone. Theoretically yes it's more absorbed but studies are lacking. Studies conducted by companies themselves who are looking to promote their product don't count in my opinion as they are paid by them. Of course they are going to say their product is great and you should buy this.

[Chinese13]

Hi, I recommend NuaBiome woman. It was recommended to me by my fertility reflexologist. It is a good quality pre-natal plus it contains probiotics. I also take coq10, magnesium, vit c, vit d and omega 3 (not cod liver oil). Good luck xx

[melwise42]

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. Am speaking to IVF consultant this week so will ask him about the supplements you've recommended. What a minefield!! Thanks again and wishing everyone luck too xx