Herbs and Supplements for Female Infertility- Some Gentle Herbs to Get You Started
Jun 14 '01
The Bottom Line Many women want to try to work with their bodies before choosing fertility drugs. For those women, herbal therapies are a safe and effective answer.
Infertility comes in all forms- some couples are unable to have a baby because of physical problems (blocked tubes, etc.), some because of immunological problems, some due to male factor. For that reason, herbal therapy is not appropriate for every couple, and can't solve every form of infertility. But for hormonally mediated infertility, where the inability to conceive is related to an irregularity in the hormone production or reception by the woman, herbs offer some real solutions.
The two most common situations that are addressed by herbal therapy are cycle irregularities and PCOS. Let's look at one at a time:
Cycle irregularities are typical in women coming off hormonal contraceptives (the Pill, the mini-pill, depo-provera, Norplant, etc.), and with other hormone imbalances. Usually they take the form of either anovulatory cycles (where the ovaries are not releasing an egg as would be normal) or cycles with a short luteal phase (the time between ovulation and the menstrual cycle, which should be 13-16 days, is shorter than that). This type of irregularity is readily addressed with herbs, and fortunately the herbs that most easily address these problems are extremely gentle and side effect-free, as has been demonstrated in numerous studies. The "recipe" that I recommend for women with these types of irregularies is as follows:
Entire cycle, every day:
120 mg of Vitex agnus-castus (also known as chasteberry or monkspepper). Vitex is the berry of the chaste tree, and is sometimes known as "herbal clomid." By raising the levels of lutenizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, it encourages the production of progesterone and discourages the over-production of estrogen. This helps the body to ovulate on a normal schedule. The dosage is important- vitex is also sold in 500-mg capsules, which can actually delay ovulation.
100-200 mg B-6. B-6 is an important vitamin when addressing hormone imbalances. One of the most common reasons for delay in ovulation and a short luteal phase is an over-production of prolactin, a hormone which tells the body not to produce progesterone. B-6, by lowering prolactin levels, allows progesterone production to rise. Hormonal contraceptives typically leave the body severely deficient in the B vitamins.
2000 mg Evening Primrose Oil. EPO is a rich source of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, and gives the body "building blocks" with which to make hormones.
1-2 cups Red Raspberry Leaf tea (I make this as an iced tea and keep in my fridge; it has a very pleasant, mild, almost minty flavor). RRL contains an alkaloid called fragrine, which tones and relaxes the uterine muscles. The herb is also rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins B and C. RRL is one of the universal herbs for women, promoting healthy menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth.
After ovulation (detected by a significant rise in basal body temperature), every day add:
2000 mg Wild Yam Root (powder, found in capsules). Wild Yam contains diosgenin, which is a progesterone precursor. It is a very safe and effective way of lengthening your luteal phase and promoting a healthy implantation environment. Women often notice a marked increase in their average post-ovulatory basal body temperature, which indicates that their progesterone level is higher.
Women with PCOS, which is characterized by anovulatory cycles because the hormone production is irregular, also have herbal options. However, their situation is complicated by the fact that PCOS also has an element of insulin resistance. They, too, can benefit from the above "recipe," but should add 20-40 mcg per day of chromium picolinate (Glucose Tolerance Factor, or GTF) *IF* they are not taking an insulin-control drug like glucophage or metformin (since the GTF does much the same thing as those medications, it is unwise to combine the two). The GTF has been clinically shown to reduce insulin resistance, allowing the body to release less insulin and regulate its hormone levels.
PCOS-sufferers have also found success with sensible low-carb diets and eating foods with low glycemic indices.
An exciting development in PCOS has been the discovery that D-chiro-inositol, a type of carbohydrate, relieves PCOS symptoms very efficiently with few, if any, side effects. A natural source of D-chiro-inositol is soy lecithin, which when taken at the rate of 50 grams per day (it comes in granules and can be eaten straight or in cereal, etc.) contains the amount of D-chiro-inositol used in the therapeutic studies.
Some women with PCOS who also complain of the androgenizing effects of the syndrome (thinning hair, hair growth on face and body, blotchy skin) have found success with saw palmetto, a herb which reduces levels of testosterone.
It is invaluable for women experiencing hormonally mediated infertility to keep track of their cycles by recording their basal body temperatures. Only by watching BBT can one really tell if ovulation has occurred and whether the luteal phase is healthy and long enough.
I have included here only the most gentle herbs for infertility, because it would be irresponsible to recommend anything with known side effects unless you were under the care of a qualified herbalist. Therefore, you should expect to take these herbs for a minimum of three months before you know if they will work. Many women notice dramatic improvement in the first cycle, but give it 90 days to know the full effect.
Good luck and happy baby making!
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