Getting Pregnant Naturally (7 page)

Vitamin A is important in the function of the reproductive glands, which regulate ovulation and influence sexual energy. In fact, fish liver oil—a rich source of vitamin A—is a time-honored remedy among Native Americans for women who experience difficulty conceiving. Vitamin A also assists in the metabolism of fat and helps with the healthy function of the eyes, hair, teeth, gums, and mucous membranes.

Vitamin A in animal tissues is called retinol; vitamin A in plants is called beta-carotene. (Beta-carotene is sometimes called a provitamin because it must be broken down by the body into vitamin A before it acts as a vitamin.) Both vitamin A and beta-carotene are antioxidants; they help protect the body from cancer and improve resistance to certain diseases by neutralizing damaging free radicals.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene should not be taken in large amounts—more than 10,000 IU (international units)—in pill form or as cod liver oil by pregnant women, diabetics, and people with hypothyroidism or liver disease. (Excessive vitamin A during pregnancy can cause birth defects.) Antibiotics, laxatives, and some cholesterol-lowering
drugs can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb vitamin A. Signs of vitamin A deficiency include night blindness, retarded growth, impaired resistance to disease, infection, rough skin, and dry eyes. About 15 percent of all Americans are deficient in vitamin A.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is essential for the function of the reproductive glands. It also assists in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; aids the formation of red blood cells; and helps in the functioning of the nervous system and brain. It is also required by at least fifty different enzymes in various metabolic processes throughout the body.

Studies have shown that vitamin B6 significantly increases progesterone levels and improves fertility. In one study of fourteen women with unexplained infertility, twelve became pregnant after taking high doses of vitamin B6 (100 to 800 milligrams daily) for six months. The women ranged in age from twenty-three to thirty-one; they had been infertile from eighteen months to seven years.

Do not take more than 150 milligrams of vitamin B6 a day without consulting a doctor. Megadoses of vitamin B6 can cause peripheral nerve damage. High doses of one ? vitamin can also throw the others out of balance, since they tend to work together in the body.

Signs of vitamin B6 deficiency include depression, confusion, convulsions, irritability, insomnia, reduced resistance to infection, sores in the mouth, and itchy skin. Be aware that taking antidepressants, supplemental estrogen, and oral contraceptives may increase the need for vitamin B6. Women who have taken birth control pills tend to experience vitamin B6 deficiency more often than those who have not.

Copper is necessary for the maintenance of healthy blood cells and bones. Studies have found that infertile women have significantly lower concentrations of copper
in their blood plasma than fertile women do. Signs of copper deficiency include anemia and elevated blood cholesterol levels. Be aware that high levels of zinc and vitamin C can reduce copper levels.