insideKENT Magazine Issue 74 - May 2018 | Page 129

HEALTH+WELLNESS
THE BENEFITS OF VITAMINS FOR KIDS
FROM CONCEPTION AND BEYOND…
OPTIMAL NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY AND BEYOND IS FUNDAMENTAL FOR
HEALTHY FOETAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR THE ONGOING HEALTHY
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CHILDREN. WITH THE VAST ARRAY OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS
THAT ARE FOUND IN OUR DIETS, IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING TO RECOGNISE WHICH
NUTRIENTS ARE OF MOST IMPORTANCE DURING THIS CRITICAL PERIOD. ALTHOUGH MOST
VITAMIN AND MINERAL TARGETS ARE MET BY A HEALTHY, BALANCED DIET, THERE ARE
CERTAIN NUTRIENTS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL IN HIGHER QUANTITIES FOR KIDS FROM
CONCEPTION AND BEYOND. WE ASKED JENNY HALL BSC (HONS) MBANT AND TECHNICAL
ADVISOR AT VIRIDIAN NUTRITION FOR HER EXPERT OPINION.
HI JENNY. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR EXPECTANT
MOTHERS TO BOOST THEIR NUTRITION/HEALTH
WITH VITAMINS DURING PREGNANCY AND WHAT
SHOULD THEY BE TAKING?
In terms of fertility, preparation is key. Would
you plant vegetable seeds without preparing
the soil? No. We know that to grow robust
plants the soil must be fertilised and nourished.
Likewise, when thinking about fertility and
conception, it’s essential that the parents
prepare nutritionally. Fertility and successful
reproduction is dependant on healthy sperm
and oocytes, and luckily this is where what
we eat can influence the success of
conception but also foetal and maternal health.
It can be said that a nutrient dense diet and
stress management are the two most
important stages of maternal and paternal
preparation for pregnancy. Paternal nutrition
is often dismissed, as the focus generally lies
on the health and lifestyle of the mother. Yet,
considering that sperm delivers 50 per cent
of the genetic material that creates a new
human being, it is unwise to scorn nutritional
preparation. Subsequently, fathers-to-be
should eat wholefoods and focus on some
key nutrients:
Vitamin E. A potent antioxidant compound
thought to protect the seminal plasma and
spermatozoa from oxidative damage, vitamin
E is reported to offer antioxidant protection
for cell membranes. Such benefits have been
reported to increase sperm motility and
improved rates of conception.
Zinc. Has antioxidant effects and is found in
abundance in the testes while also involved
in every factor of male fertility; zinc deficiency
is characterised by lowered testosterone and
reduced sperm count.
Selenium. A cofactor for glutathione
production. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant
factor produced within the body in response
to free radical assault and is a protective
mechanism suggested to be protective of
sperm and in infertile men to improve sperm
quality and motility.
Carnitine/Arginine. Amino acids reported to
support sperm energy production and normal
sperm formation.
Vitamin D. Definitively, the vitamin de jour,
vitamin D status in men is linked to the ability
of sperm to initiate fertilisation of the oocyte.
Maternal nutrition is often under scrutiny
resulting in pressure and a blame culture on
mothers for not eating the right foods or
adopting the right lifestyle, which can make
conception and pregnancy stressful for
expectant mothers through worrying that they
are not doing their best for their child. The
correct nutrition will support the reproductive
system to produce healthy oocytes, support
maternal health, as well as provide the
nutrients to support the growth and
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