After I announced my second pregnancy (it’s a boy!) I got a lot of questions about fertility and pregnancy support supplements. What was I taking? What brands did I recommend? Last year, I filmed a podcast with my fertility doctor (and good friend) Dr. Mel Clark called The Science Of: Fertility, where we dug into the functional science behind the whole fertility cycle, from preconception to postpartum. I’ve since been sharing the pod with everyone in my life who’s pregnant or trying to get pregnant, and without fail, they come back to me saying they find the information in the pod invaluable. That’s mostly because of Dr. Mel’s incredible expertise. She has helped countless couples conceive and she, herself, finally was able to conceive after years of doctors telling her she would never be able to.
My husband and I recently conceived for the second time using the conception support protocol I developed with Dr. Mel. And I’m now taking my pregnancy protocol for a second time (so far so good).
Below, I lay out everything I’m taking and why. Fair warning, it’s kind of a lot. I’m not a person who takes a huge stack every day. With supplements, I don’t believe that more is better. But pregnancy is a different story. There’s good evidence for each supplement I list and a good reason for each of them, and with a lot of them, you can’t get the right amounts through food sources alone. At first, the sheer amount of it was overwhelming to me, but I took solace in knowing it would only be for a limited window of time.
This is what my husband and I took to help us conceive for our second pregnancy, with the guidance of Dr. Mel. We were able to get pregnant on my first cycle. I, of course, feel incredibly lucky to have been able to conceive easily. I have many friends for which it is a challenge for a number of reasons, from PCOS to endometriosis to age-related difficulty. This protocol could help with some of these conditions. I won’t tell you this approach will guarantee conception. What I will say is that Dr. Clark was able to conceive using a version of this after being told by countless doctors she wouldn’t be able to conceive. There are a number of other things she did, which you can hear about throughout the podcast episodes.
We began this protocol 3 months before we started trying. Dr. Clark and her husband began their protocol 6 months before they started trying. The guidance generally says anywhere from 3-6 months.
This was my prenatal for both pregnancies. Mel’s guidance on prenatals calls it one of the two bare minimum staples during pregnancy (alongside fish oil). What matters is that it’s methylated, meaning the B vitamins are in their active, bioavailable forms. This is especially important for women with MTHFR mutations who can’t efficiently convert folic acid. I was initially taking extra methylated folate, but Dr. Mel took me off it because the Designs for Health Prenatal Pro already had a sufficient amount. In the OB community, standard of care is still folic acid, but Mel noted that high amounts of folic acid in those who don’t methylate can have negative outcomes. Have the conversation with your provider. It’s important to start a prenatal well before conception so you have a good base from which to start from.
Royal jelly can act on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which is the communication pathway between your brain and your ovaries. It can intensify that signaling so everything communicates better. An animal study showed that royal jelly significantly increased the development of ovarian follicles and raised estrogen and progesterone levels. In subjects with premature ovarian failure, royal jelly actually helped restore ovarian function so they could conceive. It improved hormonal and oxidative markers in a rat model, which could be beneficial for women with PCOS.
I took a spoonful of Beekeeper’s Superfood Honey every day (which contains royal jelly).
This is to boosts NAD+ levels. NAD+ is critical for mitochondrial function, and it declines in the ovaries as we age, which is one of the reasons egg quality drops over time. Researchers recently identified that an enzyme called CD38 degrades NAD+ in the ovaries, accelerating the loss of egg quality and quantity. In animal studies, NR supplementation increased ovarian reserve, improved oocyte quality, and elevated live birth rates. It also rebalanced mitochondrial dynamics in aging ovaries by correcting folliculogenesis abnormalities.
This hasn’t been tested in humans for fertility yet, but the mechanism suggests it could help.
Most people think of melatonin as a sleep supplement, but Dr. Mel explains that it’s actually a powerful antioxidant that can be helpful for both sperm production and ovaries. Women with unexplained infertility were found to have blunted intrafollicular melatonin concentrations with marked oxidative imbalance. Most of the research on fertility benefits is done at 1 to 3 milligrams, which is lower than what a lot of people take for sleep.
Dr. Mel suggests personalizing the dose. Some people feel groggy even at 1mg, and if that’s you, it’s not worth pushing through. I tolerated 1mg well and took it nightly.
Hear our discussion about melatonin for fertility on the pod here.
Specifically myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol. Dr. Mel calls this one of the most studied supplements for PCOS. A clinical study found that the 40:1 ratio of myo-inositol to D-chiro-inositol was most effective at restoring ovulation in PCOS women. A meta-analysis of 17 studies showed it significantly increased clinical pregnancy rate and top-grade embryos. One important thing to note is that the ratio of myo to D-chiro matters. Increasing D-chiro alone can actually worsen outcomes. Look for products like Vitamica powder or Pure Encapsulations Inositol Complex that get this right.
Even if you don’t have PCOS, inositol supports ovarian follicle health and insulin sensitivity, which are foundational to fertility.
Hear our discussion about inositol on the pod here.
CoQ10 provides mitochondrial support and antioxidant protection. Eggs are among the most mitochondria-dense cells in the body, and CoQ10 supports the energy production those mitochondria need while also reducing reactive oxygen species.
A randomized controlled trial in women with diminished ovarian reserve found that CoQ10 pretreatment increased retrieved oocytes, produced a higher fertilization rate, and resulted in more high-quality embryos. Significantly fewer women in the CoQ10 group had cancelled transfers due to poor embryo development (8.33% vs 22.89%).
The ubiquinol form (the reduced, active form of CoQ10) is better absorbed than standard CoQ10.
Mel didn’t do a deep dive on vitamin D in the podcast, but it was part of my daily stack and she includes it as a foundational nutrient. The research shows that women undergoing IVF with vitamin D levels below 20 ng/mL had clinical pregnancy rates of just 20% compared to 31% in women with sufficient levels. A meta-analysis found that live birth was more likely in women with adequate vitamin D. A comprehensive review confirmed that vitamin D deficiency is a risk marker for reduced fertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes, and that supplementation decreases both maternal and fetal complications. Most of us are D deficient. Get your levels tested and supplement accordingly.
Men often don’t think fertility supplements apply to them, but their fertility health can affect the chances of conception by up to 40%.
Same rationale as why I took it, but this is worth emphasizing separately because. The royal jelly in Superfood Honey is one of the few supplements where there’s a human study on male participants showing increased sperm active motility, testosterone, and LH levels after three months. In animal models, it improved sperm count, viability, motility, DNA integrity, and testosterone. Mel called royal jelly “incredible for sperm production and sperm health” and highlighted that the 10-HDA in it helps communication between the brain and the testes, supporting that hormonal pathway.
Mel had Oliver on this every day preconception. She also noted that royal jelly specifically helps with DNA fragmentation in sperm, which is a really important marker that’s unfortunately not part of a standard semen analysis. There’s even an ongoing clinical trial (80 participants) investigating royal jelly for unexplained male infertility and sperm DNA fragmentation.
If you want to keep the male stack simple, Mel’s simplified recommendation would be royal jelly, a men’s multi, and omega-3. The DHA found in fish oil is structurally critical for sperm. It helps with motility and egg penetration. A cross-sectional study of nearly 1,700 men found that men who took fish oil supplements had higher semen volume, higher total sperm count, larger testes, and a more favorable reproductive hormone profile (lower FSH, lower LH, higher free testosterone-to-LH ratio) compared to non-supplementers. A double-blind RCT in 238 infertile men found that 1.84g/day of EPA+DHA for 32 weeks nearly doubled sperm concentration and significantly increased total sperm count.
The research on ashwagandha (KSM-66 specifically) for male fertility is promising. A pilot study in oligospermic men showed a 167% increase in sperm count, 53% increase in semen volume, and 57% increase in sperm motility after 90 days of ashwagandha supplementation. A systematic review confirmed notable increases in total and free testosterone, and a 2026 double-blind RCT confirmed improvements in sexual health and reproductive hormones.
The mechanism of action here is the cortisol connection. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which directly suppresses testosterone and impairs sperm production. Ashwagandha acts on the HPA axis to reduce cortisol, which breaks that cycle. For men who are stressed, this is doing double duty for both quality of life and sperm quality.
A men’s multivitamin is super important from a micronutrient standpoint, and the key nutrient Dr. Mel highlighted was zinc. Zinc is a must for men because it’s essential for sperm production, testosterone production, and testosterone receptor sensitivity (how well testosterone talks to the cell). A landmark study found that young men on a zinc-restricted diet saw their testosterone drop roughly 73%, while zinc-deficient older men who supplemented nearly doubled theirs.
WeNatal for Him contains 20 key nutrients including CoQ10, NAC, L-carnitine, zinc, selenium, methylated B vitamins, and vitamin D3 in clinically studied doses. The methylated B complex is important because B12 and folate provide the building blocks for proper DNA synthesis during sperm maturation.
This is a targeted sperm health supplement containing probiotics, shilajit, and other fertility-focused nutrients. An evidence-based analysis in Fertility & Sterility found that the ingredients with the strongest evidence for male fertility are L-carnitine, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, CoQ10, and zinc. A systematic review confirmed that targeted antioxidant supplementation can reduce oxidative damage to sperm and improve semen parameters. This is a complement to the multivitamin, not a replacement, and it focuses on the antioxidant and probiotic support that a standard multi doesn’t fully cover.
6. Beekeeper’s Naturals Complete Gut Health
An emerging area of research is how the gut microbiome affects male fertility. A recent research review found that the bacteria in your gut influence testosterone levels, sperm production, and oxidative stress, which is estimated to be a factor in up to 80% of unexplained male infertility cases. In one trial, infertile men with poor motility who took a probiotic saw “drastically improved” sperm motility and reduced DNA fragmentation after just 6 weeks. Another RCT found that probiotic and prebiotic supplementation improved sperm count, concentration, and progressive motility and five participants in the study achieved paternity.
Hear my discussion with Dr. Mel about the role of men in the fertility equation here.
The preconception stack got me ready. But once I was actually pregnant, the priorities shifted. Some supplements carried over, some got dropped, and a few new ones came in that I hadn’t thought about before. Mel’s philosophy during pregnancy is that less can be more, but the things you do take matter a lot. At the bare minimum she recommends a high-quality prenatal and fish oil. Everything else builds on that foundation depending on what you need and what you can tolerate, which is real when first trimester nausea hits and you can barely look at a capsule.
I continued my prenatal through both pregnancy and breastfeeding. My last pregnancy, I stopped my prenatal after my daughter was born and Dr. Mel immediately told me to get back on it. If you’re breastfeeding, continuing your prenatal is incredibly important because it continues to provide baby with vital nutrients.
The research on DHA supplementation during pregnancy consistently shows benefits for fetal neurodevelopment, and a Cochrane review found that omega-3 supplementation during pregnancy reduced the risk of preterm birth. I was focused on getting the right amount during breastfeeding too, because baby gets DHA through breast milk. I took fish oil throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
Mel didn’t discuss creatine on the podcast, but I added it to my stack for this pregnancy based on emerging research. Creatine supports cellular energy production through a different pathway than CoQ10 or NAD+ in that it replenishes ATP directly in high-demand tissues. During pregnancy, creatine demand increases significantly because it’s needed for fetal brain, organ, and tissue development. A review in Nutrients found that maternal creatine supplementation in animal models improved fetal outcomes including brain development and survival under birth stress. Human studies are still limited, but creatine is increasingly recognized as conditionally essential during pregnancy because maternal synthesis can’t keep up with the demands of a growing fetus.
Same rationale as the preconception section. I continued this into pregnancy for ongoing mitochondrial support, given that pregnancy is one of the most metabolically demanding states the body goes through.
During pregnancy, your immune system undergoes significant modulation to tolerate the fetus, which means you’re more susceptible to respiratory infections, colds, and flu. Getting sick during pregnancy isn’t just uncomfortable, it can affect fetal development. I have a full immune system hygiene routine that includes propolis, vitamin C, and zinc, among other things. You can check it out here.
The royal jelly research covered in the preconception section applies here too — continued antioxidant support and hormonal communication through the HPG axis. And research confirms that higher choline intake during pregnancy is associated with improved infant cognitive function, and a randomized controlled trial found that 930mg/day of maternal choline improved infant information processing speed. Most prenatals have nowhere near enough. Dr. and I both took the Beekeeper’s Brain Health liposomal because it contains both royal jelly and choline. This is one of those nutrients where you almost certainly need to supplement beyond your prenatal, or eat a lot of eggs, or ideally both.
I continued CoQ10 into pregnancy. This was part of my preconception stack and I saw no reason to stop. The mitochondrial support and antioxidant protection that make it valuable for egg quality preconception continue to matter during pregnancy, when oxidative stress increases and your body’s energy demands are through the roof. CoQ10 levels naturally decline during pregnancy in some women, which makes continued supplementation worth considering.
Dr. Mel’s calcium discussions on the podcast focused on postpartum, but she noted that “next pregnancy I’ll probably add calcium to my supplement list” even during pregnancy. The reasoning is that baby draws about 300mg of calcium per day from you, and if you’re not getting enough exogenously, it comes from your bones. Mel recommends 1000-1300mg daily during breastfeeding, but starting during pregnancy gives you a head start on protecting your bone density for the demands that come after delivery.
Pregnancy can disrupt digestion because pregnancy hormones (especially high progesterone) can slow gut motility and cause constipation that many women have never experienced before. I didn’t have a ton of bloating or constipation during my first pregnancy, and I credit this supplement. Most probiotics don’t include butyrate, but this one does. Mel calls butyrate “so amazing… so healing for the intestinal lining.” During breastfeeding, probiotics also transfer to baby through breast milk.
Mel also recommended magnesium supplementation during pregnancy for constipation management, so I’ve been taking that as well. Beyond constipation, magnesium is essential for over 300 enzymatic reactions and supports mitochondrial function. During pregnancy, magnesium requirements increase and deficiency is associated with preeclampsia, preterm labor, and fetal growth restriction. Mel also recommended additional magnesium supplementation during breastfeeding.
Protocol developed from discussions on The Science Of: Fertility podcast with Dr. Melissa Clark, ND. All research links included for Dr. Mel’s review and verification. Dosages should be individualized based on lab work and clinical assessment.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.