The power of what you consume

Did you know that what you eat has a direct impact on your fertility? In this exclusive Q&A, we dive into nutrition's crucial role in fertility with expert Bonnie Burgess of Burgess Wellness, a leading nutritionist specializing in fertility and perinatal health and a key Collab fertility partner. In our conversation, Bonnie shares valuable insights into how nutrition and lifestyle choices—like exercise and stress management—can directly impact fertility. From the importance of micronutrients to an egg’s final phase of maturation (about 100 days [1]), Bonnie explains how preconception nutrition is key for optimizing fertility. Whether planning to conceive or navigating fertility challenges, this conversation is packed with practical advice and actionable takeaways.

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Can you talk about how nutrition and fertility are related?

I think about nutrition as everything you eat and how you live your life. Both what you eat and your lifestyle combine to impact fertility. Getting pregnant and staying pregnant is a very nutrient-intensive process. So, deficiencies in micronutrients, macronutrients, and antioxidants can negatively impact your fertility. From a lifestyle perspective, how you move, sleep, manage stress, and the products and environmental exposures you have in your life regularly all affect your fertility. Excess inflammation in your body from what you consume and oxidative stress from how you live your life can negatively impact egg and sperm quality and, ultimately, pregnancy rates.  

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In general, an ideal diet optimized for fertility would include:

• Nutrient-dense targeted ingredients to supply supportive micronutrients and antioxidants.
• Adequate protein with an emphasis on plant sources and fertility-promoting vitamins and minerals.
• Omega-3 fats which are positively correlated with fertility outcomes as well as mental health.
• Fiber-rich meals supplying prebiotics, keeping you satiated, and more!

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Does your diet affect your chances of getting pregnant?

Yes, it does. As a starting point, certain nutrient deficiencies can reduce the chances of getting pregnant. For example, healthy fats are critical precursors to hormones, so someone eating a low-fat diet might not be ovulating or experience irregular cycles.

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Not everyone needs to worry about diet optimization to improve their chances of getting pregnant. Still, personalized nutrition optimization can go a long way to mitigate the impact of conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or hypothyroidism.

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When working with someone, I try to set them up for the best possible chances for fertility, carrying a healthy baby to term, and their long-term health. So many factors are at play when it comes to fertility,  and while we can't stop the aging clock, diet, and lifestyle are factors you can control.

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Is it harder to get pregnant while dieting?

It depends on how you define diet. I think of diet simply as ‘what and how you eat.’ But if a diet restricts calories and fat, it probably would negatively affect you. The body needs energy and healthy fat. Even for some, going too low carb can be a disadvantage when it comes to a fertility diet. If you are restricting things like sugar and processed food, that's a good thing.  It is also beneficial to forgo any ingredients you are sensitive to, as they could contribute to impaired gut health and increased inflammation in your body. For example, if you're lactose intolerant, it's best to avoid lactose-containing dairy during preconception is best.  

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Does nutrition affect egg quality?

There's research on several specific nutrients that can improve egg quality when included in the diet in adequate amounts or even supplemented in significant amounts. For example, folate is best known for early pregnancy neural tube development, and it’s also correlated with higher fertilization rates. Folic acid is included in many prenatal vitamins, and taking a quality supplement with folate and other antioxidant vitamins during preconception can positively impact egg quality.

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Baseline advice for fertility nutrition is important, albeit a bit boring; there are things everyone knows they probably shouldn't eat, like excess sugar and refined carbs. Another category to watch out for is trans fats. Trans fats are required to be very low in commercial products, but they can still sneak their way in. Trans fats can increase inflammation in the body and change the structure of cells, effectively making our cells less healthy and ultimately increasing our risk of infertility [2].

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Common food with trans fats:

• Deep-fried foods such as French fries, tater tots, onion rings, and breaded, deep-fried chicken or seafood
• Spreads such as margarine spreads and some peanut butter and seed butters
• Snack foods like as chips, crackers, and cookies
• Nondairy creamer
• Pre-prepared cake frostings
• Vegetable shortening
• Commercially preprepared products, such as pie crusts, pizza dough, and cookie dough
• Some pre-packaged baked goods

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What foods should you eat that can help with fertility?

I always recommend a “whole foods” approach, meaning I recommend eating food in its most whole form. Nature knows best, and it's best to consume nutrients in their whole form as much as possible instead of eating processed foods. For example, vegetarian “meat” is highly processed and doesn’t resemble nature in the slightest. As a result, the nutrients in those vegetables are often lacking in veggie-based meat substitutes, and additives are in their place. Also, some artificial sweeteners derived from nature, like monk fruit and stevia, have fewer chemicals than aspartame but are still ultra-concentrated and quite processed, and we don't know all the repercussions of using these sweeteners liberally.

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I tell my clients to remember that a whole piece of fruit has fiber and other benefits, so eating the whole fruit is best versus just drinking the juice. Instead of drinking cherry juice, eat the whole cherry to get fiber and all its antioxidants. The zest on citrus fruit peels is rich in antioxidants, which are helpful for fertility.

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Bonnie’s Recipe for zesty antioxidant rich vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

juice from 1 orange

1 teaspoon honey

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced shallot

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

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Should you cut out caffeine when trying to conceive?

It depends. Excess caffeine should be reduced for the sake of fertility, and it's a good idea to reduce it when trying to conceive because high levels are not recommended during pregnancy anyway.  For some people, I might recommend dramatically reducing caffeine or eliminating it completely to balance hormones, but not everyone needs to eliminate all caffeine.

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Can taking prenatal vitamins help you get pregnant?

Prenatal vitamins aren't a silver bullet. And so if there are concerns with diet and lifestyle, but you're taking a prenatal, it's probably not enough. I like to think of a prenatal vitamin as an insurance policy to supplement a balanced diet. It’s essential to be aware not all prenatal supplements are created equal. So, you want to take the right prenatal vitamin for you. For example, those who eat a plant-based diet versus those who eat animal products should take completely different prenatal supplements.

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What is your advice for someone who is struggling with infertility?

It’s never too late to make a positive impact on your nutrition. What you nourish your body with can significantly support conception and sustain a healthy pregnancy. Everything from improving your gut microbiome and managing insulin resistance to boosting your nutrient reserves can lead to meaningful and relatively quick changes that could benefit the next phase of your fertility journey.

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In conclusion

As we’ve learned from Bonnie, nutrition is not just a supporting factor—it’s a foundational element in the fertility journey. You can take proactive steps toward improving your fertility by nourishing your body with the right nutrients, managing lifestyle factors, and understanding the importance of timing. Whether you're just beginning your fertility journey or looking to enhance your current approach, taking a closer look at your nutrition could be the key to unlocking your body’s potential. Stay tuned for more updates on an exciting collaboration with Bonnie, and remember—small changes today can lead to significant results tomorrow.

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1. McGee, E.A., and A.J.W. Hsueh. “Initial and cyclic recruitment of ovarian follicles.”Endocrine Reviews 21(2) (2000): 200–214.

2. Dietary fatty acid intakes and the risk of ovulatory infertility, Chavarro, Jorge E et al., The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 1, 231 - 237

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