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[Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical practitioner. Any medical information is strictly my opinion based on research and personal experience, and not to be taken as advice. Always seek the advice of a licensed physician for your medical needs. Read my full disclaimer here.]
Wondering if you should take a Vitamin D supplement to improve your fertility when TTC? The overall conclusion is yes — read below for why + how much.
The medical research
–Yes, Vitamin D is helpful for fertility…but the research is mixed about exactly how helpful it is. Either way, it is helpful (for both women + men), as long as you don’t take too much. More on the research:
–In the majority of the research, Vitamin D has been found to have a positive impact on fertility. (Check out these studies by Lerchbaum, Chu, and Fung.)
–One study of 193 women was especially interesting: Some women were given a placebo, some 1400 IU of Vitamin D, and some 2800 IU of Vitamin D. In the groups of women taking the placebo and the 1400 IU, about the same percentage of women conceived. (Perhaps showing that Vitamin D is not as important as was once thought.) HOWEVER, in the group taking the 1400 IU, the women had much fewer complications (like preeclampsia and postpartum bleeding).
–On another note, the women who took 2800 IU of Vitamin D were half as likely to conceive as the placebo group. In other words, too much Vitamin D is NOT a good thing.
–It is also worth noting that in some other more recent studies like this one by Chavarro (2018), Vitamin D really did not have much of an impact on fertility at all.
My experience
–My doctor suggested my husband and I both take 2000 IU of Vitamin D3. (Keep in mind your doctor might suggest something different based on the season or where you live, so check with your doctor!)
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