Daily nutrient intake may be associated with hormonal and body composition markers in women seeking fertility treatment, but researchers caution that stronger clinical evidence is needed on the role of diet in reproductive health.
Research: Dietary nutrient intake and nutritional status of infertile women: A cross-sectional study. Image credit: Taras Grebinets / Shutterstock
In a recent study published in the journal scientific reportA group of researchers investigated how dietary nutrient intake is related to body composition and reproductive hormone levels in infertile women.
Nutrition and reproductive health in infertility
What if your daily food choices can affect your fertility? One in six couples around the world face infertility, causing emotional and financial stress. Beyond medical treatments, lifestyle factors, particularly nutrition, are gaining attention as modifiable influences on reproductive health.
Hormone balance, ovulation, and overall fertility can be influenced by a woman’s body composition and micronutrient intake. However, most evidence comes from the general population rather than from women actively seeking fertility treatment. Understanding how diet interacts with hormonal and somatic markers in this group may help inform practical nutritional strategies in infertility treatment.
Further research is needed to clarify these relationships in clinical practice.
Dietary nutrients and hormones research design
This cross-sectional study included 97 women (18-40 years old) who met clinical criteria for infertility and attended a fertility clinic in Spain between 2022 and 2024. To be eligible, participants generally must have been unable to become pregnant after at least 12 months of unprotected sex, or six months if they are over 35 years old.
Participants with certain disorders (such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, or endocrine disorders requiring treatment) were excluded from the study to eliminate confounding effects of these disorders.
Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) that recorded realistic intake over the previous year. Nutrient intakes were calculated using a standardized food composition database.
Anthropometric measurements such as body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), body fat percentage (BFP), and muscle mass percentage (MMP) were obtained using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) under controlled conditions.
Early in the follicular phase, researchers measured anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), estradiol, calcidiol, and prolactin in fasting blood samples.
After measuring hormone levels, we performed statistical analysis using correlation tests and multiple regression models, adjusting for caloric intake, physical activity, BMI, and smoking status.
The researchers defined statistical significance at the p< 0.05 level and applied Bonferroni corrections as necessary to account for multiple comparisons.
Nutrient intake, body composition, and hormonal findings
The average age of the study population was approximately 33 years, and most participants were employed and in higher education.
From a clinical perspective, the average BMI was within the overweight range, highlighting metabolic concerns common in infertile women. Notably, BFP was above recommended levels, while MMP was slightly below optimal thresholds, suggesting an imbalance in body composition that may impact reproductive health.
Analysis showed a significant association between nutrient intake and body composition. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) intake showed a significant positive correlation with MMP, suggesting an association between increased riboflavin intake and increased percent muscle mass, although the authors were more cautious to describe this relationship as nominal, adjusted for rigorous multiple testing.
Calcium intake was also positively correlated with muscle mass, further suggesting a role for calcium in metabolic homeostasis beyond bone health.
Vitamin E intake was inversely associated with hip circumference, and higher antioxidant intake was associated with lower hip circumference. Therefore, it is increasingly likely that vitamin E intake is associated with regional fat distribution, but this finding requires careful interpretation and confirmation in future studies.
Increased vitamin E intake is also associated with decreased prolactin concentrations, which is clinically relevant because high prolactin concentrations can disrupt normal ovulation and menstrual cycles. This association persisted even after adjusting for confounders, suggesting that vitamin E intake may be associated with prolactin regulation, although a causal relationship or mechanism remains to be proven.
Other nutrients initially showed associations with AMH and TSH, but no significant effects remained after adjustment. This indicates that nutrition influences reproduction in a complex manner, with only certain nutrients having consistent and measurable associations in this cohort.
The influence of diet on infertility care
This study shows that specific dietary nutrients are associated with important markers of reproductive health in infertile women. High vitamin E intake was associated with lower prolactin levels and decreased hip circumference, and riboflavin and calcium were associated with higher percentage muscle mass. This suggests the possibility of targeted nutritional approaches that support more favorable hormonal and body composition profiles.
Due to the cross-sectional design, causal relationships cannot be established. However, the findings suggest that diet may be a modifiable factor that should be considered alongside fertility treatments.
Long-term prospective studies are needed to verify and establish these associations, which may help guide the implementation of individualized nutrition.
Reference magazines:
- Martín-Manchado, L., Sánchez-Sannuevo, M., Zaragoza-Martí, A., Cerrado de la Cruz Delgado, V., Hurtado-Sánchez, J.A. (2026). Dietary nutrient intake and nutritional status of infertile women: A cross-sectional study. scientific report. Doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-47490-x https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-47490-x
