Vitamin B6 and fertility go hand in hand. Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 is water soluble. It can be found in foods like cereal, eggs, legumes, liver, meat, whole grains and yeast. All the vitamins are good for us and should be used together to help keep our bodies healthy, however B6 goes one step beyond as it's also a great reproductive hormone regulator. It helps with fertility. As an added bonus B6 also helps to regulate blood sugars, alleviates PMS and morning sickness.

Vitamin B6 has so many benefits. It helps to stave off depression that is a part of PMS. The main area that B6 helps with fertility is to treat a luteal phase defect.

The luteal phase (the time from ovulation to menstruation) ideally should be over 10 days long (11-16 days is the norm). If it's shorter than 10 days it’s called a luteal phase defect. Normally a luteal phase shorter than 10 days cannot sustain a new pregnancy and can possibly end up in miscarriage. The good news is a luteal phase defect is one of the most easily treated and cured.

You can discover if you have a luteal phase defect by charting your basal body temperatures . Charting your fertility signs may take a couple of months to fully get the hang of it – but it’s very important to know how to do if you wish to get a good look at what's going on with your fertility cycle. If you discover you have possible infertility you can then get help to correct it. If you detect a luteal phase defect you can begin treatments to help lengthen it. Using progesterone supplements (suppositories, pills or transdermal cream) and vitamin B6 are two excellent remedies for a luteal phase defect.

The months I was trying to conceive my third baby my luteal phase was 9 days. I thought I was taking enough vitamin B6 in the prenatal vitamins I had. I looked at the label and was shocked to see only 3 mg of vitamin B6 listed. Sad truth is most multi-vitamins do not contain an adequate amount of vitamin B6. The FDA requirements aren’t enough to help boost fertility. Check the labels and see for yourself.

I took 60 mg of vitamin B6 a day all cycle long and my luteal phase climbed from 9 to 12 days in 2 months. Now I take 50 mg of vitamin B6 a day every day.

Ideally, according to many herbalist and nutritionist the dosage should begin at 50 - 200 mg to see any results. 60 mg did the trick for me. I think it's smart to start out with a lower dose and see if you get results and work up from there. Vitamin B6 and fertility should always be discussed in detail with your healthcare provider.