The article went onto say 15% of couples have problems conceiving (I’m surprised that it is that low, in my experience it is higher than this). Fascinatingly enough it is more likely to be the guys who have the problem.
They took men who were “subfertile” that is 5 – 20 million sperm per ml of semen (>20 is considered fertile). None of them had clinical signs of folic acid or zinc deficiency. However after 26 weeks (1/2 yr) of taking zinc sulphate and folic acid the number of healthy sperm increased by 74% !
The zinc I can understand, as 10-15mg are ejected when males orgasm (which is why men often need to supplement with it). However the same level of zinc without folic acid did not make any changes. Goes to show how interrelated your body nutrients are. So if you have any fertility concerns you should take a good multi for a few months as see if it makes any difference.
Reference New Scientist 23rd March 2002 from Fertility and Sterlitily Vol 77 pg 491
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