Hydration and Fertility: Can Drinking More Water Help You Get Pregnant?

Can dehydration cause infertility? Yes! And it affects both men and women since our bodies are about 70% water.

Each cell, tissue, muscle, and organ system requires water to run effectively. That’s why almost every health and wellness professional can be heard giving the same advice to drink 8 glasses a day. Water is not only essential for keeping us alive but absolutely necessary for helping our bodies function at their best.

But here’s what we were never taught about water. Dehydration affects every single signaling system in your body. It can affect hormone production and function. Not drinking enough water can cause chronic inflammation within our immune system, bloodstream, and ultimately within our cells. Without enough water, we begin to decay at the cellular level. 

This has a huge effect on your health, especially your fertility.

How does dehydration contribute to infertility?

You already know that good, clean drinking water has a range of benefits for your health. But did you know that being dehydrated might negatively be impacting your fertility?

For women, this can look like a lack of cervical fluid, poor egg health, and implantation troubles. For men dehydration can lead to poor quality erections, a lower volume of semen, and sperm that have a difficult time “swimming” due to decreased quality.

So how much water should you drink for good fertility?

Many experts recommend drinking at least 64 ounces of water each day. Some say to drink half your bodyweight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you’d aim for drinking 75 ounces of water a day. And others simply say to pay attention to the color of your urine. If it’s a dark yellow, aim for drinking more water. If your urine is light yellow or almost clear, just drink when you’re thirsty.

The problem with each of these recommendations is that it only focuses on the quantity of your drinking water but doesn’t mention the quality. And because there are dangerously high levels of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and heavy metals in tap water today, quality is key.

So how much water do you need to be drinking? It depends on how much you sweat and what other foods you eat. Hydration doesn’t have to come from drinking plain water alone. Nourishing soups, herbal teas, fruits and vegetables, and beverages like coconut water can help you meet your hydration goal. And if you’re still trying to decide exactly what amount is best for you, begin with half your bodyweight in ounces and adjust from there.

You don’t need to start chugging a gallon of water a day. More isn’t always better. In fact, drinking too much of the wrong water isn’t much better for you than being dehydrated. It might even do more harm than good.

What kind of water is best to drink?

Depending on where you live, the quality of your tap water is going to be different. You can check the Environmental Working Group’s tap water database to find out exactly how yours measures up, but there’s a good chance it’s full of contaminants. 

Just because your water runs clear doesn’t mean it’s clean. Most tap water has traces of arsenic, mercury, chlorine, fluoride, petroleum products, pharmaceutical drugs, glyphosate, and fecal matter in it. Live in an older house? Your water probably even has lead in it too!

Is bottled water the best bet? 

More than 60% of bottled water sold in the United States is just minimally filtered tap water that’s been put in plastic containers full of endocrine disrupting chemicals. So no, bottled water usually isn’t much better than tap. 

When you do need to grab something on the go, look for spring water in a glass bottle like what’s offered from Mountain Valley brand. Glass bottles are heavier to lug around, but once you’ve tasted the difference, you’ll never want to go back to drinking water that tastes like it’s been stored in a hot plastic water gun ever again.

Now we know that most tap water is gross, but buying water a bottle at a time isn’t sustainable for your wallet or the planet. So what about filtering your water and drinking from a reusable bottle? Now you’re talking! 

There's no one perfect option when it comes to filtering your water. 

You’ll need to pick what filtration option is best for you based on your budget and lifestyle. Once you begin doing your research, you’ll discover that there are water distillers, under-the-sink reverse osmosis systems, machines that alkalize your water (and cost $5,000), and more affordable carbon filters that can hold about a pitcher’s worth of water at a time. 

Reverse osmosis and distillation are the only two methods that remove most, if not all, of the contaminants. But in addition to filtering out the impurities, they also eliminate the healthy minerals that you want in your water.

If you decide to upgrade your water by distilling it or using a reverse osmosis system, it’s very important that you remineralize it.

When we talk about hydration, it’s not just about replenishing your body’s water supply. Proper hydration also involves maintaining a balance of electrolytes, which are minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These electrolytes help regulate nerve and muscle function, balance blood acidity and pressure, and repair damaged tissue.

Drinking water that’s been filtered by reverse osmosis or distilled without remineralizing it afterwards can lead to an electrolyte imbalance because this water flushes the nutrients from your body (and down the toilet). Ironically, the symptoms of an electrolyte imbalance from drinking too much water are similar to those of dehydration.

If our foods had  the right amount of minerals in them, we could probably be fine drinking filtered water without adding the minerals back in. But our modern-day agricultural practices, soil health, and environmental pollutants have had such a negative impact on the mineral content of the foods we eat.

To make sure you’re hydrating deep down on a cellular level, adding minerals to your filtered water is a must. The simplest way to do this is with a pinch of high quality, unrefined sea salt (like Redmond’s Real Salt or Crucial FOUR's Icelandic Flake salt) in your water. This helps the body better absorb the water and stay hydrated for longer periods of time.

Another option is to add a few drops of trace minerals to each glass of water or to store your water in a large carafe with mineralizing stones. Here are a few of the best trace mineral options currently on the market. Do a little light research to decide which is the most likely to work for you. Quinton Hypertonic Solution is filtered sea water that comes in individual glass vials. Zuma Nutrition Fulvic Acid + Trace Ocean Minerals comes in a bottle with a convenient dropper. A lot of people use and recommend ConcenTrace Mineral Drops as well. 

You can also use electrolyte drink mixes like LMNT and Redmond Re-Lyte. Getting your hydration from coconut water, bone broth, lemon water, and fruits is a great option too!

Stay hydrated to stay fertile.

A woman’s egg quality and a man’s sperm quality are equally important for fertility. Both are affected by the quality and quantity of the water you drink. Here’s how . . .

Can dehydration cause low sperm count?

Yes, dehydration can lead to a decrease in sperm count. Dehydration can have a significant impact on male fertility, primarily through its effects on hormones and semen quality.

One hormone particularly affected by dehydration is testosterone, which plays a key role in sperm production. Dehydration can lead to lower testosterone levels. Since testosterone is essential for the development and maturation of sperm—when a man’s body is dehydrated, it can cause decreased sperm quality and a reduced volume of semen, which affects the ability to fertilize an egg.

In addition to its impact on hormones, dehydration can also directly affect semen quality. Semen is largely made up of water, and proper hydration is necessary for maintaining optimal semen volume and sperm health. Dehydration can lead to a decrease in semen volume, which can reduce the number of sperm transported during ejaculation, affecting fertility outcomes. Moreover, if semen is thicker due to dehydration, sperm may have trouble moving effectively, which can also contribute to fertility issues.

Does drinking water increase sperm count?

Sufficient hydration is crucial for optimal sperm health and semen volume. Drinking enough water can influence sperm count indirectly by affecting the quantity and quality of semen. Dehydration can lead to a reduced semen volume, which in turn can potentially affect the number of sperm present.

It's worth noting, however, that while maintaining proper hydration is important for sperm health, simply drinking more water will not necessarily increase the amount of sperm in the seminal fluid.  And drinking excessive amounts of water will not increase semen volume beyond its natural limit.

Furthermore, the quality of water consumed can also influence male fertility. Research has shown a link between water pollution and declining male fertility rates. Environmental toxins found in polluted water, including metals and chemicals, can disrupt hormone balance and damage fertility in various ways.

Can dehydration affect a woman’s fertility? 

Yes, staying hydrated is crucial for a woman's fertility and for the successful implantation of an egg. 

Hydration can impact many aspects of a woman's reproductive health. Water helps in the production of cervical mucus, which helps the sperm in reaching the egg. If a woman is dehydrated, her cervical mucus may not be as plentiful or as effective in aiding the sperm on its journey.

Another factor influenced by hydration is vaginal health. Dehydration is associated with vaginal dryness and a higher risk of yeast infections, both of which can impact your fertility.

Furthermore, proper hydration plays a significant role in the health of a woman's eggs. Dehydration can lead to poor egg health, which can make conception much more difficult.

Water facilitates the transportation of hormones to the follicles. These hormones play a significant role in the maturation and release of the egg from the follicle.

When it comes to the implantation of the egg, hydration is also important. A dehydrated body will not provide the ideal environment for the fertilized egg to implant and grow. The uterus needs to be well-hydrated to prepare for the implantation of a fertilized egg.

When a woman wants to get pregnant, it’s important that she’s detoxing correctly and her body isn’t inflamed. Toxins can linger in your tissues, including your reproductive tissues when you’re dehydrated. An accumulation of toxins can affect your follicular health and egg quality. Drinking enough water will help flush them out. Plus proper hydration is absolutely necessary to reduce inflammation. Water can help stimulate circulation and keep things flowing.

Additionally, once pregnancy is achieved, your body will need more water as your blood volume expands. Staying hydrated is critical for fetal development, as it’s needed to form the amniotic fluid, which is vital for your baby to grow.

Can drinking more water help a woman get pregnant faster?

Hydration plays a crucial role in many aspects of your health, and your fertility is no exception. And while hydration has a key role in your fertility, it should be part of a holistic approach to health that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and good sleep hygiene.

It’s important to note that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recommends that women who are trying to conceive avoid iced beverages, and instead opt for room temperature or warm drinks instead. TCM operates on the principles of balance, particularly in regards to heat and cold within the body. Consuming iced beverages creates a cold womb, which is less conducive to conception and maintaining a healthy pregnancy because it can disrupt the balance and flow of Qi (energy) and blood in the uterus, making implantation difficult. Instead choose room temperature or hot beverages to create a warm and more welcoming environment in the womb.

If you’re ready to start your family and would like one-on-one support and guidance to get your body ready for pregnancy, book a Fertility Consult online today. I’ve been helping women overcome infertility and have healthy babies for more than 15 years, and can’t wait to help you too!