Podcast Summary

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show

Episode: STOP Inflaming Your Body: The #1 Enemy to Egg Quality and Conception
Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Guest: Dr. Natalie Crawford

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the increasing rates of infertility in both men and women and the critical, often-overlooked role of inflammation in reproductive health. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and leading fertility expert Dr. Natalie Crawford explore why modern lifestyles are making conception harder, discuss modifiable risk factors (with a big emphasis on sleep and inflammation), and clarify truths and misconceptions around supplements, alcohol, environmental toxins, and reproductive timing. The discussion is candid, practical, and packed with actionable guidance for listeners hoping to optimize fertility or just better understand the foundational role of hormone and metabolic health.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Infertility Trends and The Importance of Proactive Care

• Rising Infertility Rates: Infertility has increased from affecting 1 in 8 couples to 1 in 6 (and 1 in 5 for first-time pregnancy in the U.S.) in the last 15 years. (02:32)
• Affects Both Sexes: Infertility is now equally a male and female issue—"50% of cases have a female factor and 50% a male factor," with obvious overlap in many couples. [Dr. Crawford, 03:52]
• Reactive System: "This is a very reactive field... Women have to fail before they can see me, get testing, or even find out what's going on in their body. We have to reframe how we look at fertility." [Dr. Crawford, 02:50–03:41]
• Egg and Sperm Quality: Both are strongly impacted by inflammation, insulin resistance, and our increasingly toxic environment.

2. The Role of Inflammation

• "Inflammation is hijacking your fertility.” [Dr. Crawford, 05:02]

  • Obesity is a factor, but even non-obese individuals with high insulin resistance can have high inflammation affecting fertility.
  • Inflammation impairs egg and sperm quality, hormone function, and the brain’s hormonal signaling.

• Mitochondrial Health:

  • "The metabolic health and mitochondrial function [of an egg] is something we really need to pay more attention to ... You can change how your eggs are functioning.” [Dr. Crawford, 06:22–08:15]
  • Encouraging news: mitochondrial DNA in eggs may be less vulnerable to aging, suggesting interventions can help.

3. Most Impactful Lifestyle Factors

• Five Controllable Areas: Sleep, Stress, Muscle, Diet, and Toxins.
  • "Sleep is the thing most people put at the bottom of the totem pole ... It's when your body naturally heals from inflammation.” [Dr. Crawford, 08:34–09:00]
• Sleep Recommendations:
  • Minimum 7–9 hours per night, with a consistent circadian rhythm ("Your body's like a toddler—it wants to know you'll give it what it needs"). [Dr. Crawford, 13:00–13:07]
  • Applies equally to men and women ("Fertility is a team sport... He can make a bigger change faster" [12:41]).

4. Supplements and Herbal Remedies

• Micronutrients vs. Herbs:
  • Favor getting nutrients from diet, supplementing deficiencies if needed.
  • Strongly advises against herbal/glandular supplements for fertility ("I don't recommend any herbal preparation if you're trying to get pregnant...they can influence your hormonal system and interfere with balance." [19:01]
  • Example: Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex) "not recommended for pregnancy or those trying to conceive; it’s a band-aid, not root-cause medicine." [16:54–18:04]

5. Alcohol & Cannabis

• Both are Detrimental:
  • "Alcohol is absolutely inflammatory ... besides being a carcinogen and bad for your health, it takes a huge load for your body to clear." [Dr. Crawford, 22:35]
  • "Cannabis... downregulates the brain [signal], so men have lower testosterone, lower sperm production...even if just the male partner uses, the female's miscarriage risk rises.” [Dr. Crawford, 23:20]
• Pregnancy Not Health-Neutral:
  • Pregnancy adds strain/risk to the body, so “your body needs to know it can handle the rigor.”

6. Miscarriage and Inflammatory Risk

• Chronic Inflammation's Role:
  • Many miscarriage risk factors (including autoimmune diseases like thyroid issues or celiac) ultimately work through chronic inflammation. "Lowering inflammatory burden as much as possible” is key. [Dr. Crawford, 28:10–28:45]
• Acute vs. Chronic Inflammation:
  • Acute inflammation is necessary for ovulation and implantation, but chronic inflammation is harmful to embryo development. [26:00]

7. Autoimmunity and Thyroid

• Hashimoto’s and Unexplained Infertility:
  • "Unexplained infertility is just undiagnosed—it’s almost all inflammatory." [Dr. Crawford, 36:50]
  • Even "normal" TSH bloodwork can mask dysfunction; optimize thyroid, not just treat disease.
  • Autoimmune thyroid management can include hormone replacement even with normal labs.

8. Environmental Toxins

• Everyday Exposures Matter Most:

  • “There’s 0% chance to avoid every toxin... Focus on the things you’re exposed to every day.” [Dr. Crawford, 45:08]
  • Start with air and water quality; glass or stainless steel storage and cooking; minimize plastics, Teflon, processed/packaged foods, and take-out in plastic.

• Body Burden Principle:

  • It’s the sum of everyday exposures, not isolated incidents, that matters most.

• Cosmetics and Skincare:

  • Prioritize switching out most-used products, beware fragrances and certain chemicals—the Environmental Working Group and Think Dirty are practical resources.

9. Sex and Fertility

• Frequency:

  • "No reason to have less sex if you're trying to get pregnant. One of the biggest mistakes is abstaining to 'save up.' ... Frequent ejaculation is actually beneficial." [Dr. Crawford, 54:31]
  • Men should ejaculate at least every 4–7 days when trying to conceive; longer periods worsen sperm parameters.

• Tracking Ovulation:

  • Three methods:
    1. Cervical Mucus: Free, effective signal (“If you have intercourse with type 4 cervical mucus, you have a 32% chance of getting pregnant that month.” [Dr. Crawford, 58:15]
    2. Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs): Check LH surges, best between 10am–2pm; positive means ovulation is the next day.
    3. Basal Body Temperature & Wearables: Modern devices/smart rings track temperature shifts real-time, making it easier and less stressful.

• Vaginal and Penile Health:

  • “If you’re not using [the vagina], you’re going to have higher likelihood of strictures and atrophy.” [Dr. Crawford, 55:33]
  • Similarly, penis can shrink with prolonged disuse.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Inflammation as Central Theme:

  • “Inflammation is hijacking your fertility." [Dr. Crawford, 05:02]

• On Supplements for Fertility:

  • “Why do I want you to take anything that’s going to interfere with [hormonal balance]?” [Dr. Crawford, 19:01]

• On Environmental Toxins:

  • “There’s 0% chance you can avoid every toxin in the world...start with things you’re exposed to every day.” [Dr. Crawford, 45:08]
  • “We grew up in a more toxic world than our parents and our kids are growing up in a more toxic world than we did. So we have to lower that burden wherever possible.” [Dr. Crawford, 49:16]

• On Fertility as a Team Sport:

  • “Fertility is a team sport. We’ve got to stop this mentality that it’s a female problem or that only women need to improve it.” [Dr. Crawford, 12:41]

• On Tracking Ovulation:

  • "If you have intercourse with type 4 cervical mucus, you have a 32% chance of getting pregnant that month." [Dr. Crawford, 58:13]

Key Timestamps

• Infertility Rates & Trends: 02:32–03:41
• Inflammation & Egg/Sperm Quality: 03:52–08:15
• Pillars for Reducing Inflammation: 08:34–10:26
• Supplements & Hormonal Regulation: 15:15–21:02
• Alcohol & Cannabis Effects: 22:35–24:46
• Miscarriage Risk Factors: 24:51–28:45
• Autoimmunity/Thyroid Guidance: 34:19–40:25
• Environmental Toxins: 44:15–53:54
• Sexual Health & Frequency: 54:21–57:46
• Tracking Ovulation: 57:55–62:06

Actionable Takeaways

• Prioritize sleep (7–9 hours, same hours nightly) to reduce inflammation for both partners.
• Limit exposure to processed foods, plastics, Teflon, and work on optimizing air and water quality.
• Avoid herbal or glandular fertility supplements unless medically indicated and scrutinized.
• Minimize alcohol and cannabis—both are clearly harmful to conception for both partners.
• Track ovulation using cervical mucus or ovulation predictor kits for best conception timing.
• Address and screen for thyroid and autoimmune disorders, even when standard tests are ‘normal’.
• Remember that incremental change (“the sum of all choices”) is more important than perfection.

This episode combines science-backed recommendations, the nuances of modern life, and empathy for anyone on the fertility journey. By understanding inflammation as the “enemy” of fertility and making intentional, manageable lifestyle changes, listeners can better champion their own reproductive—and overall—health.