From Inflammation to Conception: Solving the Fertility Puzzle

Mark Hyman

Mar 31, 2025

Episode description

Fertility challenges are increasingly linked to lifestyle and environmental factors that go far beyond reproductive organs. Emerging science reveals that metabolic health, inflammation, diet, and exposure to environmental toxins all play a profound role in hormonal balance, egg and sperm quality, and even early embryo development. Key drivers of dysfunction—such as ultra-processed food, insulin resistance, gut imbalances, and mitochondrial damage—are rarely addressed in conventional fertility care, despite their deep impact. Paying attention to these overlooked root causes offers not only a powerful path to improving fertility but also the foundation for lifelong health in both parents and their future children.

In this episode, I discuss, along with Kelly LeVeque, what we can do to improve our fertility, which ultimately impacts the future health of our children.

Kelly LeVeque is a holistic nutritionist, celebrity health coach, the best-selling author of Body Love and Body Love Every Day, and most importantly, mom of three little boys. Kelly LeVeque is passionate about the science of human nutrition and is always guided by a practical and optimistic approach to wellness. Kelly helps clients improve their health, achieve goals, and develop sustainable habits to live a healthy and balanced life. Kelly is a regular contributor to numerous health, wellness, and lifestyle publications.

This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers.

Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10 to save 10%.

Full-length episodes can be found here:

Fertility in Crisis: Exploring the Toxic Threats to Fertility and the Rise in Infertility

The Fertility Crisis: Why it’s Happening and How to Fix it

Boost Fertility Naturally: Top Foods to Eat

Episode description

In this episode, I discuss, along with Kelly LeVeque, what we can do to improve our fertility, which ultimately impacts the future health of our children.

This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers.

Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10 to save 10%.

Full-length episodes can be found here:

Fertility in Crisis: Exploring the Toxic Threats to Fertility and the Rise in Infertility

The Fertility Crisis: Why it’s Happening and How to Fix it

Boost Fertility Naturally: Top Foods to Eat

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Recognize male fertility decline in early to mid-30s

Male fertility drops by about 52% in the early to mid-30s, a timeline that is surprisingly similar to the drop experienced by women.

#fertility

Manage body fat to balance testosterone and estrogen levels

An enzyme in fat tissue called aromatase converts a man's testosterone into estrogen, leading to higher body fat, low sex drive, and reduced fertility.

#estrogen

#testosterone

Balance sugar intake to regulate insulin and hormone levels

A diet high in sugar and starch leads to high insulin, which increases testosterone in women (causing PCOS) but leads to low testosterone in men.

#insulin

#testosterone

Boost male fertility with antioxidants for higher pregnancy success

Men taking antioxidants have a four times higher rate of getting their partner pregnant and a five times higher rate of that woman having a live birth.

#antioxidants

#fertility

Explore prenatal supplements for men to enhance sperm health

Companies like 'We Natal' are creating prenatal supplements specifically for men to protect sperm quality, morphology, and DNA.

#sperm

#supplement

Walk over 4,000 steps daily to boost testosterone levels

Men who walk over 4,000 steps a day have higher testosterone, and each additional 1,000 steps can increase it by another 7 ng/dL.

#testosterone

#walking

Balance gut bacteria to prevent estrogen dominance

Certain bad gut bacteria produce an enzyme that unpacks estrogen your body is trying to excrete, causing it to be reabsorbed and leading to estrogen dominance.