This is one of the biggest drivers of poor egg quality. Your eggs are extremely sensitive to oxidative damage. Stress from toxins, processed food, poor sleep, gut issues, or even overexercising can increase free radicals that damage the mitochondria and DNA inside your eggs.
Think of oxidative stress like rust inside the cell. It slows down energy production and increases the chances of DNA damage during development.
What contributes to this?
• Lack of antioxidants in the diet/nutrient deficiencies
• High toxin exposure from things like plastics and fragrance
• Overtraining or undereating
• Constant stress or inflammation (gut and immune dysfunction are major contributors)
When blood sugar is constantly spiking and crashing, your body shifts into survival mode. That means higher cortisol, more inflammation, and disrupted hormone signaling. We see this affect ovulation, egg maturation, and overall cycle health, even in women without PCOS.
Some signs this might be happening:
• You crash between meals or feel shaky without snacks
• You rely on caffeine instead of balanced meals
• You wake up between 2 and 3 am
• You feel tired but wired, especially at night
Balancing blood sugar is one of the fastest ways to support your hormones, your energy, and your eggs.
Stress doesn’t have to be dramatic to have an effect. It can look like rushing, skipping meals, overcommitting, or simply being “on” all the time. Your body needs to feel safe in order to prioritize reproduction. Chronic stress, especially if your nervous system is stuck in fight or flight, tells the body it’s not time for a baby.
We often see this show up as:
• Long or irregular cycles
• Delayed or weak ovulation
• Low progesterone
• Low mineral levels on HTMA
The good news is you can train your body to shift out of survival mode, and when you do, your hormones often follow.
Inflammation damages the mitochondria inside your eggs, making it harder for them to mature properly. This is a major root cause we see in women with unexplained infertility or repeat early losses.
It often comes from:
• Gut infections or leaky gut
• Mold exposure
• Histamine issues or food sensitivities
• Autoimmune activity
• Poor liver detox pathways
We assess this through GI-MAP testing, mineral ratios, symptom history, and how well someone is breaking down and clearing estrogen.
Your eggs are tiny, powerful cells that require energy, antioxidants, and minerals to grow and mature. Most of the women we work with are unknowingly depleted, especially in magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins.
Why? Because stress, restrictive diets, gut issues, birth control, and even overhydration can drain minerals over time. That’s why we love HTMA testing. It gives us a clear picture of where you need support so you’re not guessing.
Egg quality is not a mystery.
It’s a reflection of what’s happening inside your body, and it can change.
When you support your metabolism, minerals, mitochondria, and mindset, your eggs respond.
Here are some other great resources to learn more about egg quality:
reminder: i’m currently accepting people into my Nurture Your Fertility program. you can learn more here about the program and fill out an application!
