The impact of food and nutraceuticals on human fertility

In high-income countries, infertility affects around 17.5 % of people and the number of cases is rising. Several conditions impact fertility, such as excessive oxidative stress and low-grade inflammation. Among the strategies to counteract this condition, modifying dietary habits represents one of the most promising ones. Indeed, there is a robust body of evidence regarding the role of good eating practices to follow before conception in both men and women and positive impacts on fertility. As a result, proper dietary guidance can be particularly beneficial in the treatment of infertility. Indeed, fertility appears to benefit from a low-glycemic diet, plenty of fruits and vegetables, where essential vitamins and minerals are not neglected, also considering food supplements and nutraceuticals. Conversely, poor dietary plans that include a lot of refined and processed foods, rich in trans-fat acids, have a negative impact on fertility. In this review, the current evidence on the benefits of food macro- and micronutrients, as well as nutraceuticals is gathered in order to outline dietary recommendations for reproductive health.