Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used for centuries to treat all kinds of ailments and is commonly, and very successfully used to treat infertility.
TCM herbs should be prescribed by a qualified herbalist who, after evaluating a patient’s health, will prescribe a tailor-made formula for that person’s specific needs.
TCM takes a holistic approach and treats the whole person rather than just focusing on one particular symptom. Each person is unique so not everyone will be prescribed the same formula, even if their health problems are the same.
There are thousands of Chinese herbs – but here are ten common ones that are often used to help boost fertility:
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is used to warm the interior in a women’s uterus and to nourish ‘yang’ energy levels making the uterus warm and ready for the baby to call home. It also has a positive effect on sperm production and quality in men.
Ginseng
Ginseng is good for a whole host of problems. It increases your energy, boosts your digestive system, helps to regulate leptin hormone levels thereby reducing weight-gain and aids fertility.
Vitex (agnus castus)
Vitex is a popular herb for reducing an irregular menstrual cycle (more than 35 days) and can reduce premenstrual stress too.
Dong quai (dang gui-radix angelica sinensis)
Dong quai is a herb that’s used a lot in Chinese medicine to nourish the blood, regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle and relieve menstrual pain.
Moringa Leaf
Moringa leaf, also known as the ‘miracle tree’, can enhance fertility in both women and men because of its high content in vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids and its detoxifying actions on the body.
Cornelian cherries
Cornelian cherries (cornus officinalis) is used in Chinese herbal medicine a lot and has been shown in research to improve male fertility by increasing sperm motility.
Tribulus terrestris
This plant grows in the Mediterranean and in subtropical desert regions around the world including India and Myanmar. Research has shown that it can increase levels of testosterone which can improve male semen count and motility.
Passionflower (passiflora incarnata)
Has been shown in research to improve male libido, increase sperm count and fertilisation.
Green tea
Green tea contains antioxidants that are 100 times more powerful than vitamin C and 25 times more powerful than vitamin E. It can help reduce excessive weight and blood stickiness, thereby aiding blood flow to the uterus.
Horny goat weed
Horny goat weed (herba epimedii) is used in Chinese herbal medicine to improve male and female libido and fertility. Research has shown that horny goat weed can restore levels of testosterone in men and thyroid hormones in women to their normal levels.
Chinese herbs are rarely taken as single herbs on their own but are prescribed together as a targeted formula that address the health of the whole body and their fertility. They need to be taken in combination to be totally effective therefore, it is important to be diagnosed by a qualified TCM herbalist.
Article by Dr (TCM) Attilio D’Alberto, Chinese herbalist and author of My Fertility Guide: How to get pregnant naturally, out now, priced £13.49. Also available in Kindle and as an audiobook. www.attiliodalberto.com
