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Can (And Should) Men take Women’s Prenatal Vitamins?

The men’s prenatal vitamin movement is underway as you read this, and with good reason. For couples hoping to conceive, a man’s health is just as important as a woman’s. Beyond regular exercise, eating well, and kicking bad habits to the curb (smoking and excessive drinking, we’re looking at you), specialized nutritional support — i.e. a men’s prenatal vitamin — can make a surprising impact on a man’s fertility health. But can (and should) men take women’s prenatal vitamins? Nope, and here’s why.

Key takeaways

    • Sperm health is linked to pregnancy outcomes and the health of his baby at birth and over the course of his or her life.
    • The most common cause of sperm deficiencies is a lack of specific nutrients.
    • Men need specific nutrients in appropriate amounts to promote healthy sperm, and a woman’s prenatal vitamin isn’t going to be effective.
    • Men should look for a prenatal vitamin formulated with nutrients that support optimal sperm health.

The science is clear that a man’s health in that preconception window (three to six months before conception) has a direct effect on his partner’s future pregnancy and the health of their baby, both at birth and over the course of his or her life. That’s because sperm health is linked to pregnancy outcomes, and so much important development happens in the first few weeks of pregnancy.

A man produces a staggering amount of sperm every day, and the most common cause of major deficiencies in that sperm — issues relating to morphology and motility — is a serious lack of nutrients. It’s an issue. Over 40% of couples who can’t conceive can trace their issue to problem with the man’s sperm, and a 2012 study found that only one in four men has optimal sperm health. The other three? Not so much.

beli-for-him-should-men-take-womens-prenatals

Specialized Nutrition is the Key

The idea of specialized nutrition to shore up those nutrient deficits is backed by science, but specialized is the key. And just as a high-quality women’s prenatal vitamin delivers specialized nutrition for a healthy conception, pregnancy, and baby, so does a man’s prenatal. That’s why it doesn’t make sense for a man to take a prenatal vitamin that’s formulated for women. Points for effort — the intention is there, after all — but guys, you’re not getting what you need if you’re sneaking into your partner’s prenatal stash.

Both women’s and men’s prenatals are fulfilling a similar role, but the key difference is the ingredients. Men looking to optimize their fertility need a prenatal vitamin that will do just that, by improving all parameters of sperm health for the greatest chances of a successful conception, pregnancy, and baby. And they can’t fuel that fertility with a prenatal vitamin that’s been formulated to help female fertility.

Ingredients for Men's Prenatal Vitamins

We have an entire post covering all the ingredients that an effective men’s prenatal vitamin should include, but we’ve got the highlights right here:

A noteworthy point — low levels of folate, vitamin D, and zinc are associated with poor sperm DNA stability, poor sperm quality, and infertility, respectively. Another noteworthy point — all of these nutrients can be found in Beli Vitality for Men, a science-backed men’s prenatal vitamin designed to deliver the kind of specialized nutrition that supports healthy sperm.

One more thing. It’s not just the ingredients themselves that matter, but the quantities of those ingredients. You may be surprised (and kind of disgusted and/or disappointed) to learn that the vast majority of the prenatal vitamins on the market are only kind of aligned with nutritional science, which means they’re either missing important ingredients or using ingredients in such negligible amounts that they aren’t doing you any good. Don’t assume any old prenatal will do the job.

The Bottom Line

Men will absolutely benefit from a high-quality prenatal vitamin, but only if it’s formulated to improve male fertility. That means men shouldn’t take women’s prenatal vitamins, not because they’ll be harmful, but because they won’t do anything beyond wasting your money. But if you’re considering the value of a prenatal vitamin as a hopeful dad-to-be, you’re definitely on the right track.

Understanding the importance of a dad-to-be’s health is quite the eye-opener, and fortunately, it doesn’t take an insurmountable level of effort or change to shore up the weak spots. Think of the elements of a healthy lifestyle, and then practice them. Prioritize a better diet and some regular exercise, cut back on the booze, definitely quit smoking, do your best to minimize stress, and get on the men’s prenatal train. In other words, put down the women’s prenatals and swap your multivitamin for a men’s prenatal that will do its job.

Additional Resources

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Read More

When the plan is a baby, but you’re having a hard time conceiving, it’s normal to start wondering why. While there can be a number of issues in play, one tends to be overlooked: sleep quality. Specifically, men who have the sleep disorder sleep apnea could be at greater risk of fertility issues. Now, new research is drawing a more definitive link between sleep apnea and male fertility. Let’s review.

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Fact: You can’t look at a guy—or eyeball his semen sample, for that matter—and determine his fertility. It just doesn’t work that way. The only way to truly assess sperm health is with a semen analysis. But there are a few lifestyle choices and truths that may indicate whether a man’s sperm is healthy and happy. 

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Read More

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Read More

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Read More

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Read More

The summer heat really can have a temporary effect on male fertility, so doing what you can to keep cool, especially if the goal is becoming a dad, is really important. Here are tips to keep you and the boys cool this summer.

Read More

If you’re no stranger to the telltale signs of seasonal allergies—sneezing, itching, nasal congestion, irritated eyes, the works—you’re likely familiar with antihistamines. When you’re actively trying to conceive, there’s more to understand about histamines, seasonal allergies and how it affects your fertility.

Read More

When the plan is a baby, but you’re having a hard time conceiving, it’s normal to start wondering why. While there can be a number of issues in play, one tends to be overlooked: sleep quality. Specifically, men who have the sleep disorder sleep apnea could be at greater risk of fertility issues. Now, new research is drawing a more definitive link between sleep apnea and male fertility. Let’s review.

Read More

Fact: You can’t look at a guy—or eyeball his semen sample, for that matter—and determine his fertility. It just doesn’t work that way. The only way to truly assess sperm health is with a semen analysis. But there are a few lifestyle choices and truths that may indicate whether a man’s sperm is healthy and happy. 

Read More

While it’s lumped into the “bodily fluid” category, semen is a complex cocktail of compounds designed to support fertility. Like sperm quality, semen health can be influenced by lifestyle factors—an important realization for couples trying to conceive. From color to consistency, here’s what healthy semen looks like.

Read More

There’s a lot of chatter when it comes to male masturbation and what it says about a man’s fertility or whether it’s an issue when a couple is actively trying to conceive. And in the interest of clearing up the confusion, we’re taking a facts-based approach to the topic of men, masturbation and fertility.

Read More

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Read More

Raise your hand if you already know that you have a biological clock. From age 35 and beyond, there is a natural decline in testosterone and sperm quality. Just as people lose muscle strength, flexibility and endurance with age, sperm also tend to lose their "fitness" over the life cycle. But what does that mean—and does it really matter?

Read More

It’s an easy assumption, but you’re much better off thinking that every prenatal vitamin is wildly different in terms of composition, nutrient quality and, importantly, nutrient amount. Not only is that actually true, it puts you in the smart consumer mindset of understanding what matters in a prenatal vitamin—and why.

Read More

Men really do benefit from specialized nutrition in the form of a prenatal vitamin that’s formulated to support sperm health. Here’s what that looks like, and how specific nutrients can impact a man’s fertility health before fatherhood.

Read More

Shilajit is finally getting the credit it’s due, and we’re proud to point out that our proprietary formula was the very first to include this powerful Ayurvedic compound. Here’s why shilajit is rapidly becoming the darling of the male fertility world–and what you’re missing if you’re skipping it.

Read More

Ever wondered why men produce so much darn sperm, especially if only one of them will ultimately fertilize the egg? There are millions of sperm in normal ejaculate because it increases the likelihood that one will reach the egg and seal the deal. It begs the question, what exactly happens on the journey to the egg?

Read More

If you’re noticing any of these signs, the good news is that it’s simple to make changes. Switching to a high-quality prenatal like Beli's Prenatal—one formulated with chelated minerals, methylated B vitamins, 400 mg of choline, and vegan vitamin D3—can make a world of difference. 

Read More

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Read More

Shilajit is finally getting the credit it’s due, and we’re proud to point out that our proprietary formula was the very first to include this powerful Ayurvedic compound. Here’s why shilajit is rapidly becoming the darling of the male fertility world–and what you’re missing if you’re skipping it.

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