Zinc for Female Fertility

What does the evidence say about zinc while trying to conceive?

1. Zinc-dependent enzymes support the maturation of the egg after fertilization, and in animal research, zinc-deficient diets reduced or blocked the follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone that drive ovulation, along with disrupting normal ovarian function and the menstrual cycle. 1
2. Having zinc blood levels that are too low has been linked in some studies to a harder time getting pregnant, and low zinc levels in pregnancy have been linked to a higher chance of complications including miscarriage, neural tube defects, low birth weight, stillbirth, high blood pressure, and preeclampsia. 2
3. Signs described for zinc deficiency include impaired taste and smell and characteristic skin changes, and pregnant women are named as a group at higher risk for inadequate zinc because pregnancy increases requirements by as much as two-fold. 3
4. A systematic review of minerals and female fertility puts the recommended zinc intake at about 8 to 11 mg a day for women ages 19 to 50, and concludes that without a confirmed deficiency, mineral supplementation could do more harm than benefit, recommending it be considered only once a deficiency is actually identified. 4
5. Zinc intake well above the recommended amount over weeks to months can crowd out copper absorption and lead to a copper deficiency capable of causing anemia and neurologic complications, while very high single doses can cause nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping. 5

What to know about zinc while trying to conceive

• If you're just starting to think about conceiving, a normal balanced diet plus a standard prenatal or preconception multivitamin typically covers the recommended amount of zinc, which research puts at about 8 to 11 mg a day for women of reproductive age. Check your multivitamin label before adding a separate zinc supplement on top of it.
• A few months into actively trying, it's common to see zinc marketed in fertility-specific supplement blends, sometimes at doses well above the standard amount. The evidence that extra zinc improves fertility in someone who isn't deficient is thin, so more is not automatically better, and stacking multiple products can push your total zinc past the upper limit without you realizing it.
• If trying to conceive has stretched on and you're moving toward a fertility work-up, ask your provider about checking your zinc status directly rather than guessing from symptoms. Once you do conceive, the recommended amount rises slightly to 11 mg a day, so this is also a good moment to confirm your prenatal vitamin has you covered.

Zinc dietary reference intakes in pregnancy and breastfeeding