Minerals and the Menstrual Cycle: Impacts on Ovulation and Endometrial Health

Celine Kapper; Peter Oppelt; Clara Ganhör; Ayberk Alp Gyunesh; Barbara Arbeithuber; Patrick Stelzl; Marlene Rezk-Füreder

doi:10.3390/nu16071008

Menstrual Cycle · Cycle Physiology

Minerals and the Menstrual Cycle: Impacts on Ovulation and Endometrial Health

Kapper C, Oppelt P, Ganhör C, Gyunesh AA, Arbeithuber B, Stelzl P, Rezk-Füreder M

Published March 29, 2024 Nutrients, 16(7)

DOI 10.3390/nu16071008 PMID 38613041 PMC PMC11013220

RRM Academy Synopsis

Eight minerals influence ovulation and uterine lining, review argues

A 2024 narrative review argues that eight minerals each influence ovulation, hormones and the uterine lining. The authors gathered lab, animal and human studies. Too little or too much of several minerals can harm fertility, they report.

Key Findings

The review covers eight minerals: iron, iodine, selenium, zinc, calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese. It looks at hormones, the ovary, ovulation, oxidative stress and the uterine lining.
Iodine and selenium support thyroid hormone production. The authors tie iodine deficiency to a lack of ovulation and to cycle disturbances.
Among 501 women whose iodine deficiency was moderate to severe, pregnancy came later. Their chance of conceiving in each cycle was 46% lower than in women without the deficiency.
Two studies, one from 2022 and one from 2023, covered 6551 participants and suggest a link between higher ferritin, an iron storage protein, and ovarian endometriosis.
Excess zinc, iron, copper or manganese can promote oxidative stress. The authors describe selenium excess as a cause of toxicity.

Interpretation

This narrative review gathers studies by topic and describes them. The text reports no pooled analysis and no stated search method. Some mechanisms come from cell experiments and animal studies in rats, cows and mares. Much of the human evidence described is association, such as lower zinc and magnesium levels reported in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS, renamed PMOS, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome). The authors call human research on magnesium in endometriosis limited. The main text describes no trial of mineral supplements with pregnancy as the outcome.

RRM Context

Restorative reproductive medicine looks for why ovulation is irregular or absent. The review lists minerals as possible contributors. They act through thyroid function, oxidative stress and the uterine lining. Cause-based evaluation weighs diet as one factor beside cycle charting and underlying disease. The review describes no test of whether fixing one mineral restores ovulation.

Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.

Abstract

The role of minerals in female fertility, particularly in relation to the menstrual cycle, presents a complex area of study that underscores the interplay between nutrition and reproductive health. This narrative review aims to elucidate the impacts of minerals on key aspects of the reproductive system: hormonal regulation, ovarian function and ovulation, endometrial health, and oxidative stress. Despite the attention given to specific micronutrients in relation to reproductive disorders, there is a noticeable absence of a comprehensive review focusing on the impact of minerals throughout the menstrual cycle on female fertility. This narrative review aims to address this gap by examining the influence of minerals on reproductive health. Each mineral's contribution is explored in detail to provide a clearer picture of its importance in supporting female fertility. This comprehensive analysis not only enhances our knowledge of reproductive health but also offers clinicians valuable insights into potential therapeutic strategies and the recommended intake of minerals to promote female reproductive well-being, considering the menstrual cycle. This review stands as the first to offer such a detailed examination of minerals in the context of the menstrual cycle, aiming to elevate the understanding of their critical role in female fertility and reproductive health.

Topics

Menstrual Cycle › Cycle Physiology › Ovulation · Reproductive Endocrinology › Ovulation Physiology › Follicular Development

Celine Kapper, Peter Oppelt, Clara Ganhör, Ayberk Alp Gyunesh, Barbara Arbeithuber, Patrick Stelzl, Marlene Rezk-Füreder

C Kapper, Pete Oppelt, P Oppelt, C Ganhör, A Gyunesh, Barb Arbeithuber, B Arbeithuber, Pat Stelzl, P Stelzl, M Rezk-Füreder

PMID 38613041 38613041 DOI 10.3390/nu16071008 10.3390/nu16071008 Kapper et al. 2024, Kapper 2024

Keywords

endometrial health, fertility, menstrual cycle, minerals, ovulation

Minerals and the Menstrual Cycle: Impacts on Ovulation and Endometrial Health

Eight minerals influence ovulation and uterine lining, review argues

Key Findings

Interpretation

RRM Context

Abstract

Topics

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The Role of Zinc in Selected Female Reproductive System Disorders

Keywords