The Dr. Josh Axe Show

Episode: #1 FERTILITY EXPERT: Top Foods & Supplements to Boost Fertility | Iman Hasan

Date: November 6, 2025
Host: Dr. Josh Axe
Guest: Iman Hasan, host of the Biohack It podcast

Episode Overview

This episode brings together Dr. Josh Axe and fertility expert Iman Hasan for a candid and practical discussion on the alarming rise in infertility rates among men and women. They delve into root causes—from nutritional deficiencies and environmental toxins to emotional health and shifting societal roles—and share evidence-based dietary, lifestyle, and supplement strategies for boosting fertility. The conversation also explores the emotional and spiritual dimensions of conception, family, and gender roles, presenting a holistic, East-meets-West perspective on reproductive health.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Current Fertility Crisis: The Numbers & Trends

Timestamps: 00:36, 04:08

• Infertility statistics are staggering:
  • "Infertility in women is up 84%. That is not a small number." (Iman, 00:36; 04:08)
  • "Infertility is up in men 50% due to poor sperm quality." (Iman, 04:18)
• Couples often rush to fertility clinics without addressing fundamental health factors, leading to costly, repeated IVF cycles.

2. Root Causes of Infertility

Timestamps: 05:56, 06:08–06:43

• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies:
  • Up to 50% of couples with infertility are deficient in vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, and folate.
• Toxic exposures:
  • "100% of sperm that was tested came back positive for microplastics." (Iman, 06:43)
  • Sources: Plastics in kitchenware, water, food packaging.
• Chronic inflammation:
  • Driven by poor diet, stress, and environmental toxins.
• Lifestyle:
  • High-pressure, "hustle" culture leading to nervous system dysregulation and elevated cortisol (a "master hormone” that can disrupt estrogen, progesterone, ovulation).
• Diet:
  • Move away from nutrient-rich, whole food diets has left many chronically inflamed.

3. Holistic & Nutritional Strategies for Fertility

Timestamps: 08:58, 10:39, 11:22

• Diet recommendations:
  • "Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet":
    • Leafy greens, pasture-raised eggs, wild-caught fish, nuts, avocados, ghee, grass-fed and grass-finished meats.
    • "Eggs is a big one – choline is incredible for you." (Iman, 08:58)
  • Avoid greenwashing; ensure “grass-finished” meats.
• Dairy:
  • Raw milk acts "like fertilizer for the eggs" (per UK fertility dietitians).
• Supplements:
  • Baseline: Vitamin D, zinc, selenium, magnesium.
  • Both men and women benefit.
• Traditional Chinese Medicine:
  • Emphasizes keeping the uterus warm (warm foods, broths, soups), acupuncture for blood flow, and avoiding cold plunges for women.
  • Notable quote: "Feel safe, regulate your nervous system, and bring more blood flow to your uterus and reproductive organs." (Iman, 11:04)
• Castor oil:
  • Reduces inflammation, supports organ health (recommended as a topical night treatment).

4. Emotional, Spiritual, and Societal Impacts on Fertility

Timestamps: 14:36, 15:59, 16:40, 20:10, 21:37

• Society & emotional health:
  • Western culture prioritizes productivity, often at the expense of feminine energy, rest, and community.
  • Lack of authentic relationships and purpose leads to anxiety and depression.
  • Quote: “The reason that people are so anxious and chronically depressed is because they’ve lost their authenticity.” (Iman, quoting Gabor Maté, 16:59)
• Marriage and union:
  • Importance of preparing—emotionally, physically, and spiritually—for marriage and conception (referencing religious and cultural traditions).
  • Soul growth is significantly impacted by one’s partner and union.
  • Quote: "Your biggest growth as a soul comes from who you're in union with..." (Iman, 15:33)
• Sexual health and relationships:
  • Premarital sex and promiscuity are discussed as contributing to emotional confusion and diminished self-worth.
  • Sex as an “energetic exchange”—advocating for high standards, delayed intimacy, and conscious partner selection.
  • Quote: "I think sex is an energetic exchange. Who you allow is literally into your body matters." (Iman, 22:56)

5. Rethinking Gender Roles in Fertility and Family Life

Timestamps: 28:20–31:36

• Balanced recognition of traditional roles vs. flexibility for individual family dynamics.
• Men as protectors/providers, women as spiritual/emotional heart.
• When women are pushed solely into provider roles, it can affect emotional health and relationship dynamics.
• Quote: “A man is a provider at the end of the day... A woman's role is to provide emotionally for a man and spiritually for a man.” (Iman, 28:20)
• Both agree some overlap is natural and context-specific.

6. Birthing Practices, Postpartum Care, and Miscarriage

Timestamps: 33:57–36:34, 51:56–53:00

• Hospital births are often cold and impersonal; C-sections are overused without necessity.
• Emphasis on birth plans, natural births, honoring the baby's "soul’s choice" about arrival.
• Eastern traditions advocate at least 40 days of postpartum rest, warming therapies, specific nutrient-rich foods, and community support for new mothers.
• Postpartum mineral deficiency is common—magnesium, zinc, selenium crucial.
• Hormonal recovery can take up to two years post-birth.

7. The IVF/Medicalization Trap vs. Root Cause Healing

Timestamps: 42:12–46:42

• IVF clinics often neglect root cause testing (vitamins, minerals, thyroid).
• 50% of infertility is male-factor but clinics often overlook men’s health.
• Testosterone replacement in men can cause temporary infertility.
• Supplements vital for men: Weight training, cold plunging, meditation, CoQ10, zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin D.
• Egg quality and ovarian aging are improvable:
  • NAD precursors (NMN, NR), antioxidants (resveratrol), rapamycin shown in studies to improve fertility and slow ovarian aging.
  • Lifting weights benefits egg quality, insulin sensitivity, and leads to healthier pregnancies and faster deliveries.

8. Actionable Takeaways for Fertility and Holistic Health

Timestamps: 48:08, 50:38, 54:48

• Warmth and safety for conception:
  • Spiritually and physically, aim for environments and foods that signal safety, security, and nurturing.
• Strength training for women:
  • Focus on weights vs. cardio to build muscle, support hormones, improve pregnancy outcomes.
• "Nesting" is real:
  • Home stability and emotional readiness matter for fertility and a calm pregnancy.
• Postpartum focus:
  • Prioritize blood building foods (beef soups, organ meats, placenta capsules if desired), minerals, and rest.
• Lifestyle is key:
  • Reduce busyness, honor the body’s cycles, invest in authentic relationships for holistic wellness and family health.
• Vote with your dollar:
  • Be mindful of healthcare system shortcomings and support policies and products that prioritize true wellness over profit.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On fertility nutrition:
  • "Eggs is a big one. We need choline. Choline is incredible for you...I spoke to a fertility dietitian in the UK and she said ... drink milk, and she's fine with them drinking raw milk because it acts like fertilizer for the eggs."
    (Iman, 08:58)
• On microplastic exposure:
  • "100% of sperm that was tested came back positive for microplastics."
    (Iman, 06:43)
• On emotional well-being:
  • "The reason that people are so anxious and chronically depressed is because they've lost their authenticity."
    (Iman, quoting Gabor Maté, 16:59)
• On traditional postpartum wisdom:
  • "In Eastern culture, when a couple decides to conceive, they prepare their bodies for at least one year ... postpartum care, the woman's at home for 40 days...she is in her feminine."
    (Iman, 13:24)
• On self-worth and relationships:
  • "I think sex is an energetic exchange. Who you allow is literally into your body matters."
    (Iman, 22:56)
• On traditional gender harmony:
  • "A true perfect relationship is that a man comes into a woman's life to make her feel so safe, so she can walk the earth unharmed. And a woman's job is to return a man's soul to God, to Creator. And that is like a perfect harmony."
    (Iman, paraphrased, 25:21)
• On medical system critiques:
  • "When our health became for profit, that's when it all shifted. And it shifted because we moved so far away from actual healing medicine and keeping people healthy and safe..."
    (Iman, 37:40)

Important Timestamps & Segment Highlights

| Topic | Timestamps | |---------------------------------------------------------------|------------------| | Fertility rates and what's changed | 00:36, 04:08 | | Major root causes (deficiencies, toxins, inflammation) | 06:08–07:45 | | Foods, supplements, and Chinese medicine for fertility | 08:58–11:22 | | Gender roles and spiritual perspectives | 14:36–31:36 | | Emotional + community layers of thriving | 15:59–18:40 | | Birth plan, postpartum, hormonal health | 33:57–36:34, 51:56 | | IVF and why root cause is often ignored | 42:12–46:42 | | Male fertility, supplementation, and weight training | 42:40–43:38 | | Egg quality, anti-aging and scientific breakthroughs | 43:52–46:42 | | Postpartum nutrition, rest, mineral needs | 51:56–53:00 | | Cultural and political influences on health | 53:08–54:37 | | Actionable summary and encouragement for natural solutions | 54:37–end |

Conclusion – Final Takeaways

• Fertility challenges are dramatically increasing, but both root causes and solutions are within reach—starting with diet, reducing toxicity, proper supplementation, emotional nurturing, and honoring the wisdom of both traditional and functional medicine.
• Prepare intentionally—physically, emotionally, spiritually—for conception, pregnancy, and family life.
• Seek practitioners willing to look for root causes and prioritize natural healing over quick technological fixes.
• Don't underestimate the power of authentic connection, faith, and aligning with your natural rhythms and traditions for optimal health and fertility.

Guest Info:
Follow Iman Hasan and her work at the “Biohack It” podcast for more on holistic health and fertility.

Host:
Dr. Josh Axe, draxe.com