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# Lifestyle affects fertility
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/lifestyle_affects_fertility_0702140111/
- Published: 2014-07-02T14:10:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:13:18.000Z
- Description: A review reports that high and low body mass index, alcohol, vigorous exercise, smoking and antidepressants all hurt fertility, and says it stays unclear whether supplements help. A second review points to hormonal and nutritional treatments for infertility.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Lifestyle, Health News, #vivvo-import

Wednesday July 2, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new report recently published in Current Opinions in Obstetrics and Gynecology suggests that lifestyle may have an effect on fertility.

According to the report, high and low body mass index, alcohol drinking, vigorous physical exercise, nicotine or smoking, and antidepressant medications all have an adverse effect on the fertility.

The report suggests that it remains unclear whether dietary supplements may improve fertility although it claims that patients often do not follow recommendation for lifestyle modifications during infertility treatment. 

It should be noted that other studies suggest that dietary supplements help fertility.

*Rooney KL1, Domar AD. The impact of lifestyle behaviors on infertility treatment outcome. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Jun;26(3):181-5\.* 

Another review on treatments of idiopathic infertility published in Seminars in Reproductive Medicine suggests a range of treatments including hormonal treatment including gonadotropins, anti-estrogens and aromatase inhibitors.

That review also suggests that nutritional therapy including supplementation with carnitine, lycopene, glutathione and vitamin E and other vitamin supplements are important for improving fertility. 

For men, garlic, vitamin C, fish oil, peanuts or arginine supplements among other things can also be helpful. These things can boost the production of sperm and sexual drive.

*Gudeloglu A, Brahmbhatt JV, Parekattil SJ. Medical management of male infertility in the absence of a specific etiology. Seminars Reproductive Medicine 2014 Jul;32(4):313-8\. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1375184\. (Edited by David Liu, PHD)*