The literature on the relationship between diet and fertility has expanded greatly over the past decade, resulting in the identification of some clear conclusions. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), at least 6% of primary infertility cases are due to female obesity. The main culprit for this is estrogen, the female sex hormone produced by fat cells. Under normal conditions, estrogen is produced mainly by the ovaries and in smaller amounts by other tissues. However, if the woman has excess body fat, estrogens are also produced by the fat cells, with the result that their levels in the blood are elevated. Estrogen is contained in birth control pills, so we understand how reduced the chances are for an obese woman with plenty of estrogen in her blood that suppresses her ovulation to get pregnant. Studies have shown that women with a body mass index over 27 are three times more likely to have anovulatory conditions compared to women with a normal body weight. However, even when the obese woman ovulates, the quality of her eggs may be reduced. This probably explains why, among ovulating women, each 1-point increase in BMI above 29 reduces the odds of pregnancy by 4% within a year of trying.

However, a corresponding decrease in fertility also exists in cases of male obesity. According to the Asian journal of Andrology, obesity has been shown to contribute to infertility by reducing sperm quality, reducing testosterone production, contributing to erectile dysfunction and causing other physical problems associated with obesity. Mechanisms to explain obesity’s effect on male infertility include abnormal reproductive hormone levels, increased release of fat cell-derived hormones and adipokines associated with obesity, and other problems such as sleep apnea and elevated scrotal temperatures.

In conclusion, the existing literature shows an indisputable relationship between nutrition and fertility, both by gender and overall. Maintaining a normal body weight should be the first step. Then, the consumption of a plant-based diet model, which is among other things rich in folic acid and antioxidants, which enhance fertility in women and men respectively, is a necessary condition, before the health scientist decides to administer the corresponding supplements. The basis of the diet should be fruits, vegetables and whole grain products, based on the results of the studies, followed by fish and seafood, sources of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vegetable oils, with an emphasis on olive oil. The above recommendations essentially describe the pattern of the Ikarian Diet, which has been proven to improve a number of health indicators and, as described in this text, its adoption is capable of enhancing reproductive capacity, either for conception naturally or in the context of assisted reproduction.