Vitamin C for Fertility and Reproductive Health

Vitamin C – A Powerful Antioxidant for Fertility

The benefits of vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, have long been known, particularly in its role as a powerful antioxidant. For instance, sailors in the late 15th Century consumed citrus fruits to protect themselves from scurvy, a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C.

Within the body, there exist free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS), which play crucial roles in certain bodily processes such as ovulation and insulin utilization. However, these free radicals, due to an imbalance of electrons, engage in a damaging process where they steal electrons from other molecules. This electron theft can result in harm to DNA, cell membranes, and various cell components.

Furthermore, these free radicals are often associated with oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which can contribute to the development of conditions like cancer and diabetes. Antioxidants, however, have the ability to disrupt this harmful process by willingly sacrificing their own electrons. Vitamin C, being an antioxidant itself, is capable of regenerating other antioxidants such as vitamin E.

The antioxidative properties of vitamin C also extend to the realm of fertility, benefiting both men and women. By improving egg and sperm quality, as well as enhancing pregnancy rates, vitamin C can play a vital role in promoting reproductive health.

Vitamin C Benefits for All

Vitamin C’s highest levels are maintained in white blood cells, the brain, eyes, and the adrenal and pituitary glands. This water-soluble vitamin contributes to and supports various metabolic reactions, as well as the development of certain hormones and neurotransmitters. By helping the body absorb iron, vitamin C promotes energy production and fertility, including ovulation, pregnancy, and lactation. 

Vitamin C is crucial for healing wounds and the formation of collagen, a fibrous protein in connective tissue found throughout the body, including bone, blood, and the nervous and immune systems. Additionally, vitamin C may promote the health of the endothelium, a single layer of cells that lines all the blood and lymphatic vessels in the body; the endothelium is crucial to all organ and tissue functioning, including reproductive health.

Please note: Vitamin C supplements may not be appropriate for every person or situation. It’s important to discuss any supplementation with your doctor before starting a new regimen.

Vitamin C for Female Fertility

A potential health threat linked to oxidative stress is diminished ovarian reserve, characterized by having a low egg count and quality. Vitamin C works closely with another antioxidant, vitamin E, to promote fertility, particularly egg health. Vitamins C and E may also help reduce oxidative stress in people who have endometriosis.

The antioxidative combination of vitamins C and E may lead to higher fertilization rates, higher-quality embryos, and improved ovarian function. Vitamin C may improve hormone levels and increase fertility in women with luteal phase defect, a condition in which the uterine lining doesn’t grow properly each month, making it hard to become or remain pregnant. 

In regard to pregnancy itself, vitamin C, in its role as an antioxidant, may impart benefits for various pregnancy complications affecting mothers-to-be and their babies. During this period, free radical numbers increase, with oxidative stress and inflammation contributing to such disorders as fetal growth restriction and preterm birth. Women may also be at higher risk for preeclampsia, a serious condition typically occurring after the 20th week of pregnancy, involving high blood pressure and protein levels in urine. However, antioxidant supplements, like vitamin C, may reduce free radicals’ impact and the resulting cellular damage. 

Due to its ability to maintain collagen, vitamin C may improve free radical damage to amniotic membranes, the innermost placental layer, which surrounds and protects the fetus. In addition, these collagen-boosting benefits are essential to mothers and babies, by ensuring the development of healthy teeth and gums, bones, cartilage, tendons, skin, cornea and eye lenses, intervertebral discs, blood vessels, and heart valves. This nutrient’s benefits for immunity support are vital for mothers, with multiple studies showing that vitamin C supplementation reduces the duration and severity of colds, and may also improve their incidence. 

Additionally, vitamin C improves the ability to absorb iron, dramatically boosting mothers’ health. Iron is used to produce hemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues. In pregnancy, the body’s volume of blood increases, as does the amount required by mothers to make enough blood to deliver oxygen to the baby. Without sufficient iron, mothers are at risk for iron deficiency anemia.

As women age, their eggs are more likely to have chromosomal errors, leading to an increased risk of miscarriage or having a child with a genetic condition, such as Down syndrome. As an antioxidant, CoQ10 reduces oxidative stress associated with diminished ovarian reserve (i.e., poor egg quality or low egg count). CoQ10 may promote a higher fertilization rate and more high-quality embryos. It may also boost the number of ovarian follicles and improve ovulation. 

Vitamin C for Male Fertility

As antioxidants, vitamins C and E together have been shown to improve multiple semen criteria, and as such, sperm health and function. These nutrients may work to improve such sperm factors as sperm quality, count, and motility (movement), as they may prevent sperm from clumping together. They’ve also been found to defend sperm from DNA fragmentation, thereby lowering the risks of miscarriage and chromosomal problems. This defense against DNA damage is further enabled, due to vitamin C’s presence within the plasma in semen. 

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Your Questions, Answered:
 Vitamin C Fertility FAQ

  • Yes. Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties are a powerful defense against free radicals and their related oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular damage. This can contribute to pregnancy complications for mothers and babies, including fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and preeclampsia. However, vitamin C and other antioxidants may reduce free radicals’ effects. Additionally, vitamin C’s immune-boosting and collagen-forming properties are crucial for pregnant women and babies.

  • Yes. Vitamin C is a nutrient renowned for its ability to improve iron absorption, supporting women’s health, particularly during pregnancy. Iron is crucial for the production of hemoglobin, a red blood cell protein transporting oxygen to tissues. During pregnancy, the volume of blood in a woman’s body increases, requiring additional blood to deliver sufficient oxygen to the baby, without which a condition called iron deficiency anemia may develop.

  • As research involving vitamin C’s effects on fertility often includes other antioxidants, like vitamin E, specific benefits for vitamin C alone are difficult to find. However, some studies show an association between vitamin C, higher-quality eggs, and improved conception. Antioxidant supplementation may support diminished ovarian reserve, which can be exacerbated by oxidative stress.

  • Taking vitamins C and E together has been found to benefit endometriosis, a common condition in which abnormal uterine tissue grows outside the uterus. Specifically, the combination of vitamins C and E were shown to reduce patients’ pelvic pain and improve both dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain) and dyspareunia (painful intercourse).

  • Perhaps due to its antioxidant properties, vitamin C supplementation has been found to impart benefits for various parameters for semen health. For example, research involving infertile men showed that after taking 1,000 mg for up to 2 months, dramatic increases were reported in sperm motility and count. Additionally, multiple studies have shown that supplementation effectively protected sperm from DNA fragmentation, reducing the risk of chromosomal abnormalities and pregnancy loss.

  • Yes, studies show that vitamin C can boost levels of testosterone, which plays a role in regulating libido and sperm production, as well as other bodily processes. This may be due to its antioxidant properties, as oxidative damage can disrupt testosterone production.

    • Under age 35, and have not conceived after a year of unprotected sex.
    • Are 35 years or older, and have not conceived after six months of unprotected sex.

    If you’re ready to connect with a specialist, request a consultation with our trusted network today. 

  • While vitamin C alone does not improve erectile dysfunction, it has been found to help boost blood flow to the erectile tissues, improving the ability to maintain an erection. It also supports the production of nitric oxide (NO), a critical chemical for achieving erections due to its ability to increase blood flow.