Acupuncture stimulation of specific acupoints has been clinically shown to regulate the endocrine system via the pituitary/hypothalamus/adrenal pathways. This helps your body secrete the appropriate hormones (estrogen, progesterone, FSH) at the correct time during your cycle. Many cycle irregularities are caused by deficient hormone secretion or inappropriate timing (controlled by the pituitary and hypothalamus in your brain). Acupunct
ure works via your nervous system to regulate the function of your brain and endocrine glands, bringing your cycle into balance and creating the optimal conditions for conception to occur.
Successful conception also depends on a healthy uterine lining to allow implantation of fertilized egg and to provide nutrients and progesterone to the developing embryo. Acupuncture can signal increased blood flow to the uterus and support healthy endometrial lining to ensure fertilized eggs can develop into healthy well-nourished embryos.
Infertility and Stress
A huge part of the treatment process for fertility acupuncture is stress redu
ction. High levels of stress can contribute to fertility concerns due to increased cortisol (stress hormone) which negatively affects the endocrine system and adrenal glands. Additionally, the process of trying to conceive can be stressful in itself, as couples are faced with real or perceived "deadlines" or pressure to "succeed" at getting pregnant. When it takes longer than you expect it to, it can feel like a failure. All of these factors put strain on your mental and emotional wellbeing, which of course creates an unfortunate situation where your stress about trying to conceive makes it more difficult to conceive. It is an uncomfortable process. The support, compassion, and caring touch you receive during your acupuncture treatment are just as important as the biochemical & nervous system effects of the treatment. I love that this medicine is medically effective as well as restful and relaxing. I believe you benefit on a cellular level from the caring compassion you receive from me during your treatments.
Chinese Herbs for Fertility
Gui Pi Tang: Supports hormonal balance. Nourishes the blood to promote healthy uterine lining and support implantation. Aids in stress relief and reduces anxiety to promote healthy pregnancy.
Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan: Supports the Kidney essence to improve the quality of the egg or sperm.
These and many other formulas are available in-office at Wellbeing Acupuncture.
Supplements for Fertility
All of the following recommended supplements can be purchased through my Fullscript online dispensary. CLICK HERE and navigate to my Favorites category "Fertility Support"
Chasteberry (Vitex): Stimulates Pituitary to balance Progesterone and LH levels for healthy cycles and ovulation
Treats:
Irregular cycles (long cycle or short cycle)
PMS (irritability, breast tenderness)
luteal phase defect (low progesterone, short cycles, spotting between periods, high prolactin).
Also used postpartum to increase supply of breastmilk (important to take a low dose-120mg- as higher doses of 450mg can suppress milk production).
Recommended brand available on Fullscript: Pure Encapsulations Chase Tree Vitex 225mg capsules (one per day)
CoQ10: Improves egg quality in women and sperm motility in men.
Found in every cell of the body, CoQ10 is a part of the electron transport chain which is responsible for generating energy in our cells. Functioning as an antioxidant, it decreases the damaging effects of free radicals on the reproductive system.
It is believed that as we age, our naturally occurring levels of CoQ10 diminish. As a result, the processes that require high energy, such as those associated with fertilization and embryo development, are unable to work as hard – resulting in a lower efficiency within those systems. With less energy available for the “machinery” of the dividing cells, more errors can be made in the division of genetic information, leading to a higher rate of genetically abnormal embryos.
Recommended dosage: 600mg per day
Recommended brand available on Fullscript: Jarrow CoQ10 200 mg Capsules--take one capsule 3 times daily, or 3 capsules once daily.
Acai Berry: Improves egg quality, especially important for women older than 35 years. Strong antioxidant properties protect eggs from oxidative damage by free radicals. Reputable IVF clinic CCRM studied the benefits of Acai and requires all IVF patients to take it.
Recommended dosage: 1000 mg twice per day
Recommended brand available on Fullscript: NOW Foods Acai 500mg (Take 1 twice per day or 2 once per day)
Zinc: May support endometrium, ovulation, and development of placenta
Research in mice has suggested that zinc deficiency may be linked with improper embryo development due to a defect in placenta development. Some research has also shown that a deficiency in zinc in female rabbits may be linked with a decreased interest in male counterparts, resulting in decreased ovulation. The endometrium was also found to be very inactive in these rabbits, making it difficult to conceive. In another study, a zinc deficiency in monkeys was related to impaired reproduction, however some monkeys with the deficiency could still conceive. Overall, zinc supplementation could possibly help with infertility in women, but more actual human research should be done in women to make more clear recommendations. Research on the effects of zinc in male fertility found that men with idiopathic sub-fertility had lower zinc concentrations in seminal plasma compared to those who didn’t. It was also found that men with higher sperm counts had higher seminal plasma zinc concentrations. Lastly, research has found that zinc supplementation may be linked with less sperm damage in males.
Recommended Dosage: 15-30 mg per day
Recommended Brand available on Fullscript: Pure Encapsulations Prenatal Nutrients contains 15 mg of Zinc
Vitamin E: supports endometrial lining, has antioxidant effect.
Recommended dosage: 200-400iu
Recommended Brand available on Fullscript: Pure Encapsulations Prenatal Nutrients contains 12 mcg of Vitamin E, but I recommend also adding Dr. Mercola Vitamin E 200iu if you have any issues with thin uterine lining or problems with implantation (such as chemical pregnancies, early miscarriages)
Inositol: Encourages ovulation for women who may not be ovulating (PCOS).
*Also used to decrease the risk of gestational diabetes in women with PCOS or prior history of gestational diabetes.
Recommended dosage: 2 grams twice per day.
Recommended brand available on Fullscript: Pure Encapsulations Inositol powder
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