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If you’ve been told you have “low AMH,” it can feel like a door is closing on your dreams of motherhood. Too often, “low AMH” is translated as “low egg count” – with no solutions offered.
If you have “high AMH” doctors often interpret this to mean you have PCOS – but, again, not so fast.
Here’s the truth: high or low AMH – neither is a diagnosis. There are just data points. AMH is just a proxy for how many eggs are maturing in your ovaries at a point in time – it is NOT an actual count.
And! Egg quantity does not determine egg quality.
Many women with high and low AMH go on to conceive – naturally!
And yes, there are real, evidence-based ways to support your fertility and improve AMH levels.
First, we have to ask, “What is the root-cause?” If we view high or low AMH as a symptom, the next question is, “What’s driving the hormone imbalance?”
After 11+ years as a fertility dietitian, I’m here to share what I have found most effective to improve AMH levels – both what the science supports and what works in real-life practice.
Let’s dive in.
What is AMH?
Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is a hormone secreted by granulosa cells in your ovarian follicles.
AMH reflects the pool of growing follicles in a given cycle that are developing in preparation for ovulation.
It’s used to evaluate your ovarian reserve (i.e. how many eggs you have left in your ovaries). It can provide useful insight into where your body stands in terms of reproductive timeline.
The common understanding is that if you have a lot of eggs remaining, then each cycle you’ll have a larger number of follicles maturing in preparation for ovulation. As those follicles develop, they produce AMH, so the more eggs, the higher the AMH.
It follows that, with each passing menstrual cycle, we have fewer and fewer eggs remaining in the ovaries. Thus, the number of follicles recruited for development each month declines as we age.
For example, if you have millions of eggs left, then you’re more likely to recruit, say 20 follicles, each menstrual cycle. Each of those 20 follicles will begin maturing and making AMH.
After a few decades, your egg supply may fall down into the tens of thousands. As a result, only 10 follicles (for example), mature each cycle. (It is NOT this formulaic for anyone – these numbers are just to illustrate the concept).
When the number of follicles maturing drops from 20 to 10, so there are fewer AMH-makers in your ovaries, and your AMH blood levels drop.
BUT! It’s not always such a linear relationship!
There are many factors that can slow follicle development (or stop it all together), that can then show up as a low AMH (even if your egg reserve is appropriate for your age). More on this below.
AMH Testing
How Is AMH Tested?
AMH is measured with a simple blood test, typically done on any day of your menstrual cycle.
Normal AMH Range
While labs vary slightly, here’s a general guide to interpreting AMH results:
- High: >4.0 ng/mL
- Normal: 1.0–4.0 ng/mL
- Low: <1.0 ng/mL
- Very low: <0.5 ng/mL
What the AMH Results Do—and Do Not—Mean for Your Fertility
AMH tells us about quantity, not quality. A low AMH level suggests fewer remaining eggs, but it doesn’t speak to how healthy or viable those eggs are.
And more importantly, AMH doesn’t predict your ability to get pregnant naturally—it only predicts how you might respond to ovarian stimulation if undergoing IVF.
What’s more, there are numerous factors that can temporarily drive AMH down, making it an inaccurate measure of egg reserve. These include:
- a history of taking hormonal contraception
- nutrient deficiencies (like low vitamin D)
- Chronically elevated stress levels (medically known as HPA dysfunction), resulting in low DHEA hormone production from your adrenal glands.
- conditions like hypothalamic amenorrhea, etc.
As a team of functional dietitians, our job is to ask WHY your AMH levels are off. Before jumping to any conclusions about your ovarian reserve, we first tease apart all of these potential variables.
Learn More:
What Is a Good AMH Level to Get Pregnant—Naturally?
Having worked with women with an AMH of 0 ng/mL, all the way to 23 ng/mL, and everything in between, I have seen firsthand that AMH is NOT a good predictor of your ability to get pregnant naturally.
Here’s the thing: AMH is most helpful as an indicator of how a woman will respond to ovarian stimulation when undergoing IVF.
For getting pregnant in the wild, AMH is NOT considered an accurate predictor of your chances.
There is no AMH cutoff that determines whether you can or cannot get pregnant.
What Is a Good AMH Level to Get Pregnant with IVF?
In IVF, a higher AMH (within the normal range) often means you’ll be a more sensitive responder to ovarian stimulation (i.e. more eggs retrieved).
Typically, REIs prefer AMH levels >1.5ng/mL for optimal response to ovarian stimulation.
Note, however, that a higher is not always better.
Women with high AMH levels (>4.0 ng/mL) are at greater risk for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) during fertility treatments like IVF.
This is because elevated AMH reflects a larger number of developing follicles, which can respond too strongly to stimulation medications, leading to fluid shifts and potentially serious symptoms.
Low AMH
Symptoms of Low AMH
There are usually no physical symptoms, but women with low AMH may also notice:
- Shorter menstrual cycles (<25 days)
- Lighter periods
- Poor response to fertility medications
Can You Get Pregnant with Low AMH?
Yes! I see it happen every day! It happened for Christa, Angela, Whitney, Nicole, and so many more.
Low AMH is not a diagnosis or a condition—it’s a symptom.
Women with low AMH can get pregnant naturally, when the root causes of depletion are identified and addressed. The body can be remarkably responsive to the right support.
High AMH
Symptoms of High AMH
High AMH often comes with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS itself shows up very differently from woman to woman.
Can You Get Pregnant with High AMH?
Yes! We have seen this time & time again with Traci, Kristin, Kristie and Sarah, and so many more.
The first step is restoring regular ovulation (see Rachael’s story). High AMH in PCOS may mean plenty of eggs, but ovulation may be irregular or absent.
In addition to restoring ovulation and regular cycles, we then address any underlying barriers to fertility – like poor gut health, bring down inflammation, and support hormonal balance.
Learn more about finding & fixing root causes 👇.
How to Improve AMH Levels?
If your AMH is low (or declining faster than expected for your age), or high, don’t panic—there IS a proven path forward to pregnancy.
Your AMH is not set in stone!
Your metabolic health directly impacts ovarian health and fertility. This includes factors like your blood sugar balance, thyroid function and inflammation levels, which can all be improved – NATURALLY – with a root cause approach.
Is It Actually Possible to Improve AMH Levels?
Substantial research—and a lot of clinical experience— suggests yes, it is actually possible to improve AMH levels.
While AMH does naturally decline with age, certain interventions (particularly antioxidant support, nutrition, and reducing inflammation) can lead to measurable improvements in AMH levels over time.
Nutrition to Improve AMH
Not only because I’m a registered dietitian, but for your overall ovarian health, we have to start with what you put on your plate.
Ovarian health starts at the cellular level, and the nutrients you eat provide the raw materials for hormone production and follicle development.
Your first step is to make sure you’re eating enough!
From there, while no specific food can directly boost AMH, you can support ovarian health and overall hormone balance with a diet that is:
- An anti-inflammatory Fertility Diet
- Rich in healthy fats (avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds and fatty fish)
Full of colorful antioxidants (berries, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables) - High in bioavailable protein (pastured eggs, fish, chicken/ turkey, beef, pork, etc.,)
Foods to Improve AMH Levels
Again, no single food will spike AMH, the following can help nourish your ovaries, and support overall hormone balance:
- Eggs (Especially Yolks)
Eggs are often called “nature’s multivitamin,” and for good reason. The yolks are rich in choline, a critical nutrient for egg development and early embryo growth.
Choline and B12 in particular have been linked to better oocyte quality and embryo development in both human and animal studies.
- Oysters
Oysters are among the most zinc-rich foods on the planet—and zinc is essential for ovulation, egg maturation, and corpus luteum function (think progesterone).
Zinc also supports DNA integrity, which is critical for egg quality, especially as we age.
- Berries
Berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.) are packed with flavonoids and vitamin C, powerful antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress in the ovaries.
Oxidative stress can damage granulosa cells—the very cells that produce AMH—so lowering this stress may help preserve AMH levels and support egg health.
*TIP: I always recommend getting organic berries. If you can’t find fresh organic options, go for frozen.
- Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are rich in folate, the natural form of folic acid, which is essential for healthy cell division and DNA synthesis—both of which impact egg quality and embryo viability.
Greens also support phase 2 liver detoxification, helping your body clear excess estrogen and hormone-disrupting toxins that could impair ovulation.
- Nuts and Seeds
Small but mighty, nuts & seeds are fertility powerhouses, offering a blend of vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and fiber—nutrients that protect developing follicles from oxidative damage and support hormonal balance.
Lifestyle Tips to Improve AMH
Of course, your nutrition can not be looked at in isolation from the rest of your behaviors and choices. Lifestyle habits can make a measurable difference in your AMH and ovarian health.
Here the most impactful steps you can take to improve AMH:
- Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours to support hormone regulation.
- TIP: good sleep is not just about quantity, but also about quality. If you’re getting 7-9 hours of sleep, but waking up tired or experiencing a crash during the day, your circadian rhythm (and your hormone health!) is calling out for support.
- Movement: Moderate exercise (not overtraining) enhances circulation to ovaries
- Stress management: Chronic stress can deplete your reserves of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – all the key players for ovarian health.
- The problem (as you’re well aware!) is that TTC itself is super stressful!
- Thankfully, for your hormone health and fertility you don’t have to strive for an unattainable goal like getting rid of all your stress.
- In FERTILE IN FOUR®, we teach you realistic tools to calm your nervous system – transforming how your body responds to stress.
- Reduce toxins: Avoid endocrine disruptors in plastics, fragrance, and pesticides. (We give you checklists and smart swaps in FERTILE IN FOUR® to help you reduce exposure – without the overwhelm).
- Quit smoking: Smoking (even marijuana) directly damages ovarian follicles and lowers AMH
Supplements to Improve AMH Levels
There’s no magic pill for improving AMH. Yes, several supplements (when layered on top of the right nutrition and fertility-friendly lifestyle), do show promise.
However, no supplement protocol is one-size-fits-all. Even if there is research demonstrating the benefits of a supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s right for YOU.
I can’t emphasize enough, before taking any supplement – TEST, DON’T GUESS!
That said, here are some supplements to discuss with your fertility provider:
- CoQ10 (Ubiquinol): May help improve ovarian reserve.
- Note: read labels carefully to be sure to get the ubiquinol form, rather than the ubiquinone form of CoQ10, as the latter is much less absorbable.
- I recommend Needed Ubiquinol*
- DHEA-S (under medical supervision): Can increase AMH in some women – with diminished ovarian reserve.
- This is one to be highly cautious about by testing before you supplement. In clinical practice, it’s just as common for me to see women with DHEA-S levels that are too high, as they are too low!
- Vitamin D: Linked to better AMH levels, especially in women with deficiency. It’s worth repeating, test don’t guess. Vitamin D acts as a hormone, so more isn’t always better!
- Omega-3s: Reduce inflammation and support egg quality.
- Note, most fish-oil and omega-3 supplements on the market do NOT provide enough of each fatty acid (EPA and DHA) to reach a therapeutic dose.
- I recommend a high-dose omega-3 by Nordic Naturals*
Conclusion
Your AMH is a piece of the fertility puzzle—not the whole story.
Whether you’re facing low or high AMH, there’s so much you can do to optimize your fertility naturally. Remember: your body is responsive, resilient, and worth investing in.
If you’re looking to go deeper and create a customized plan to boost your AMH, improve egg quality, and conceive naturally, we would love to help. You don’t have to navigate this alone.
