You may ahve heard about Acupuncture being great for assisting Fertility. Overall, Hormone regulation is something that Traditional Chinese Medicine is good at. So lets take a look at some of the ways Chinese Herbs can help enhance your Fertility & hormones.These days Chinese Herbal Medicine has come into the 21st century. You no longer have to spend ours cooking a pot of funky smelling stuff over the stove for hours, adding cups of water and boiling them down. (Although I have fond memories of my Uni days doing this! ~ K)
There are capsules, and granulated herbs that make taking Chinese Herbs really easy, especially in our busy day to day.
In my experience prescribing herbs, it can save time for couples when they're trying to conceive. Especially in cases of the woman having Endometriosis, PCOS or Fibroids, herbs can quickly manage symptoms of pain, discomfort, and promote ovulation.
Here are just some of the treatment strategies we can use in Chinese Herbal Medicine and their starring herbs!
Nourishing Kidney Jing – Rehmannia
One of the main herbs Chinese Herbal Medicine Practitioners use to nourish Kidney & promote fertility is Rehmannia.
In TCM, The Kidney supports your reproductive energy.
In men Kidney energy is the sperm quality and relates to your sperm count, motility & morphology.
In women, Kidney energy is the egg quality and your AMH levels or ovarian reserve.
You can read more about Kidney energy in Women & Men and the importance of Kidney Jing in this blog post here.
Rhemannia Uses: Unexplained Infertility, Low AMH, Egg Quality, Poor Sperm Count, Chronic tiredness, Lower back Ache
Strengthening Kidney Yang – Vitex (Chaste Tree)
One оf thе popular herbs tо aid fertility іn females, Vitex іѕ said tо bе highly effective іn regulating hormones. Thіѕ herb іѕ claimed tо normalize thе functions оf thе pituitary gland, thеrеbу regulating thе vital sex hormones іn females. Sо, іt іѕ used tо treat hormonal imbalance, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, irregularities іn ovulation, premenstrual stress, еtс. Women whо have stopped taking birth control pills fоr а long time аrе often advised tо start chasteberry, ѕо аѕ tо restore normal ovulation. It іѕ раrtісulаrlу useful fоr thоѕе wіth low progesterone levels.
In clinic we use products such as Metagenics P-Lift or a Chinese Herbal Formula to support Kidney Yang.
Vitex Prescribed for Women: Low Libido, Low Progesterone, Cold hands and feet, Fluid Retention
Men: Impotence, Low Libido
Supporting the Blood - Dang Gui Root/ Dong Quai
A traditional Chinese herb used аѕ а blood tonic, dong quai іѕ аlѕо said tо bе useful іn regulating female sex hormones аnd іѕ аmоng thе popular herbs tо increase fertility іn women. Thіѕ herb іѕ аlѕо claimed tо tone thе uterus аnd increase fertility chances. Aраrt frоm regulating menstrual cycles, dong quai іѕ аlѕо said tо bе useful fоr thоѕе wіth endometriosis. Sоmе women find іt beneficial fоr combating thе symptoms оf menopause. Abоvе аll, іt іѕ а blood tonic аnd blood mover thаt improves circulation.
In Chinese Medicine, it is said that the head of the herb tonifies the blood and the tail invigorates and moves the blood.
Dang Gui Prescribed for Women: This herb is great for Clotty, Heavy Periods, Light Periods, Painful Periods or a Low iron count.
Men: Headaches, Dizziness, Stress, Visual Disturbances are a sign you need to nourish the blood.
Moving stuck Qi – Bupleurum
Bupleurum is a Liver herb, and when people complain about the taste of their herbs, its probably because they have Liver herbs in their formula. Liver herbs are bitter in flavour and its that bitterness according to Chinese Medicine that help move stagnant energy in the meridians.
Buplerum is brilliant at supporting the Liver, helping it work more efficiently. When you have a happy Liver, your qi flows smoothly and you feel relaxed.
Bupleurum Prescribed for Women: During but not limited to the PMS phase such as Mood swings, irritability, breast tenderness. More indications of stuck qi are the same as men, see below.
Men: Stuck qi will show up as pain & tension such as headaches, migraines, back pain, constipation or especially during times of intense Stress.
Bonus Tips about taking Chinese Herbs:
- Yоu mау аlѕо approach а Registered Chinese Herbal Medicine Practitioner fоr instructions wіth regard tо assisting infertility wіth Chinese herbs and how to take them.
- As a rule of thumb, I don’t prescribe herbs when someone is actively taking fertility drugs such as IVF. We don’t want to overwhelm the body, nor there be any drug interaction with the herbs. What this means is between egg collection & Embryo transfer, there may be an opportunity for you to take herbs for those 5 days between. My rule is either you’re taking the fertility drugs or the herbs but not both simultaneously.
- We need to check any prior medication you’re on to ensure no Drug Interaction. There are supplier hotlines I can call to double check for any pharmacological drug interactions.
- The aim is for the Herbs to HELP you, not hinder you, so full disclosure of medication history is required on your part.
To take advantage of the full benefits of Chinese Herbs you can start taking them before you begin trying to conceive. Some experts in the fertility field say giving yourself three normal period cycles or three months is good preparation.
If you're doing IVF or Ovulation induction with drugs, there might be circumstances where Chinese Herbs are not recommended.
If you're Trying to Conceive (TTC) Naturally, then starting on Chinese Herbs at any time can help shorten the waiting and wishing period of time. Seeking the advice of a reputable practitioner of Chinese Herbs is a must.
For more information from me about your particular case or Chinese Herbs, feel free to email me on info@springfertility.com.au. If you're in Australia, I can do Skype consults and can send granulated or capsule Chinese Herbs to anywhere in Australia. You can also order granulated Chinese Herbs via my shop by clicking here.
