Could Alcohol Be Preventing you From Conceiving?
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Did you know that even one alcoholic beverage a week can impact both male and female reproductive systems? How is it able to affect fertility? Alcohol can increase estrogen levels, which may suppress ovulation - causing you to possibly not ovulate at all. Remember, we need to ovulate in order to make a baby!
A rise in estrogen can also suppress the maturation of follicles. If an egg is already fertilized by sperm, alcohol consumption can cause unsuccessful implantation in the uterine lining, leading to a failed pregnancy. Lastly, there may be an increased risk of miscarriage and fetal death with maternal alcohol consumption.
This article does not only apply to women. Men are responsible for 30-40% of infertility issues.
Alcohol consumption in men also results in reduced fertility. In men, alcohol can decrease testosterone levels leading to a decline in libido. Testicular health can also be negatively impacted through a decrease in luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), caused by alcohol. Not only would sperm production decline with poor testicular health, but the quality of the sperm would also be affected (aka poor swimmers). Reduced quality and concentration of sperm can make it much harder for a couple to conceive.
Keep in mind that both sperm and eggs take 3-4 months to mature, so both parties can use this information to optimize their health and fertility during the preconception period.
How much is too much??? For both men and women, it is best to try to avoid alcohol 3-4 months before conception, especially if you are having a hard time conceiving. Like we mentioned earlier in this article, it just takes one drink a week to reduce a woman’s fertility. If you want to treat yourself to a beverage that won’t have any impact on fertility, try the mocktail recipe below! Trust me, it’s delicious. My favorite mocktail book is, “Drinking for Two”. My favorite one is called Mock-jito.
Moscow Mule Mocktail
Serves 1
½ cup ginger beer
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp club soda
Directions:
Mix ingredients in a glass with crushed ice.
Stir together and add a lime wedge to the top of the glass. Enjoy!
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Sending fertility love 💗 and baby dust!
Love, your fertility sister...Kira
Kira@nouveaunutrition.com
References:
Sharma R, Biedenharn KR, Fedor JM, Agarwal A. Lifestyle factors and reproductive health: taking control of your fertility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2013;11:66. doi:10.1186/1477-7827-11-66
Moscow Mule Mocktail. The Merrythought. https://themerrythought.com/diy/moscow-mule-mocktail/. Published June 18, 2018. Accessed March 15, 2021.
BRIGHTEN JOLENE. BEYOND THE PILL: a 30-Day Plan to Eliminate Period Problems, Boost Libido, Improve Mood, Clear ... Skin, and Ditch the Pill When You're Ready. HARPER ONE; 2019.