CoQ10: To Maximize Fertility
I first heard of CoQ10 when my husband was training for a mountain bike race. He was having difficulty recovering and many things were suggested to aid him in his efforts. One of those things was CoQ10.
And being the supplement nerd that I am, I had to investigate further and this is what I found.
Higher levels of CoQ10 is associated with:
Higher quality eggs
Higher pregnancy rate
It is a helpful vitamin to take if you are in your mid 30’s and older because it boosts mitochondrial function which helps eggs produce more energy. When eggs produce more energy, egg quality is improved as well as embryo viability.
Studies have shown that women taking CoQ10 had higher fertilization rates in IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection than women who weren't taking the supplement. Research links CoQ10 deficiency with miscarriage. (Making Babies, David and Blakeway, 2009) In men, CoQ10 can increase sperm count and motility.
Dosage: 400 mg of Bio-Quinon or ubiquinol. It is recommended to take the dose twice a day; 200mg at breakfast, 200mg at lunch.
Dr. Yaakov Bentov, a fertility specialist who has pioneered the use of CoQ10 to improve egg quality, “our thought is that it’s not the egg that’s different [in older women]; it’s the ability of the egg to produce the kind of energy needed to complete all the processes that are involved with maturing and being fertilized. (It Starts With The Egg, Rebecca Fett, 2014)
I have finished writing about the three most essential supplements you can take to increase your fertility. Here’s the list to get started:
Prenatal with folate
Vitamin D
CoQ10
Be Well! Carry On, Goddesses!