Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-x5gtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T12:09:21.665Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Infertility, zinc and other metals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 September 2013

Get access

In a nutshell

Physiological but not excessive levels of zinc, copper and other essential metals are required for human fertility, and may also help protect against accumulation of reproductively toxic heavy metals, e.g. lead and cadmium.

There is limited RCT evidence for zinc supplements in treating infertility, and very little for other essential metals. Nevertheless, clinicians treating infertility should pay attention to the patient's mineral status.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References:

1. Helman, AD. Antioxidants and fertility. Arb Clin Nutr Upd. 2007 Apr;276:14.Google Scholar
2. Helman, AD. Can phytoestrogens cause infertility? Arb Clin Nutr Upd. 2009 Jun;308:13.Google Scholar
3. Helman, AD. Carnitine for infertility and in diabetes. Arb Clin Nutr Upd. 2005 Jun;212:13.Google Scholar
4. Ebisch, IM. et al. The importance of folate, zinc and antioxidants in the pathogenesis and prevention of subfertility. Hum Reprod Update. 2007 Mar-Apr;13(2):163–74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Agarwal, A. et al. Role of oxidative stress in female reproduction. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2005 Jul 14;3:28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Agarwal, A. et al. What an andrologist/urologist should know about free radicals and why. Urology. 2006 Jan;67(1):28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Ross, C. et al. A systematic review of the effect of oral antioxidants on male infertility. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010 Jun;20(6):711723.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Prasad, AS. Clinical, immunological, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant roles of zinc. Exp Gerontol. 2008 May;43(5):370–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Hidiroglou, M. et al. Zinc in mammalian sperm: a review. J Dairy Sci. 1984 Jun;67(6):1147–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Bedwal, RS. et al. Zinc, copper and selenium in reproduction. Experientia. 1994 Jul 15;50(7):626–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Henkel, R. et al. Relevance of zinc in human sperm flagella and its relation to motility. Fertil Steril. 1999 Jun;71(6):1138–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Stanwell-Smith, R. et al. A comparative study of zinc, copper, cadmium, and lead levels in fertile and infertile men. Fertil Steril. 1983 Nov;40(5):670–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Hamdi, SA. et al. Effect of marginal or severe dietary zinc deficiency on testicular development and functions of the rat. Arch Androl. 1997 May-Jun;38(3):243–53.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14. Ronaghy, HA. et al. Zinc deficiency occurring in females. Report of two cases. Am J Clin Nutr. 1975 Aug;28(8):831–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Prasad, AS. et al. Biochemical studies on dwarfism, hypogonadism, and anemia. Arch Intern Med. 1963 Apr;111:407–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Hunt, CD. et al. Effects of dietary zinc depletion on seminal volume and zinc loss, serum testosterone concentrations, and sperm morphology in young men. Am J Clin Nutr. 1992 Jul;56(1):148–57.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Abbasi, AA. et al. Experimental zinc deficiency in man. Effect on testicular function. J Lab Clin Med. 1980 Sep;96(3):544–50.Google ScholarPubMed
18. Cai, L. et al. Essentiality, toxicology and chelation therapy of zinc and copper. Curr Med Chem. 2005;12(23):2753–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19. He, Q. et al. [Determination of trace element Cu, Zn, Mg, Cr in serum of women with barrenness and hysteromyoma disease] Guang Pu Xue Yu Guang Pu Fen Xi. 2002 Aug;22(4):685–6.Google Scholar
20. Cousins, RJ. Metallothionein--aspects related to copper and zinc metabolism. J Inherit Metab Dis. 1983;6 Suppl 1:1521.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. Wirth, JJ. et al. Adverse effects of low level heavy metal exposure on male reproductive function. Syst Biol Reprod Med. 2010 Apr;56(2):147–67.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22. Wong, WY. et al. The impact of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper in blood and seminal plasma on semen parameters in men. Reprod Toxicol. 2001 Mar-Apr;15(2):131–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23. Skandhan, KP. Review on copper in male reproduction and contraception. Rev Fr Gynecol Obstet. 1992 Dec;87(12):594–8.Google ScholarPubMed
24. Watase, H. et al. [Copper concentration in seminal plasma of infertile men: influence of hormone therapy on copper concentration in seminal plasma] Hinyokika Kiyo. 1988 Nov;34(11):1973–7.Google Scholar
25. Soltan, MH. et al. Plasma copper and zinc concentrations and infertility. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1983 May;90(5):457–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26. Skandhan, KP. et al. Semen copper in normal and infertile subjects. Experientia. 1979 Jul 15;35(7):877–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27. Maynard, PV. et al. The effect of copper on the distribution of elements in human spermatozoa. J Reprod Fertil. 1975 Apr;43(1):41–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28. Roblero, L. et al. Effect of copper ion on the motility, viability, acrosome reaction and fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa in vitro. Reprod Fertil Dev. 1996;8(5):871–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29. Daunter, B. Biochemical and functional-structural aspects of human cervical mucus. Scan Electron Microsc. 1984;(Pt 1):343–58.Google Scholar
30. Shimizu, Y. et al. Prostaglandins induce calcium influx in human spermatozoa. Mol Hum Reprod. 1998 Jun;4(6):555–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31. Meseguer, M. et al. Relationship between standard semen parameters, calcium, cholesterol contents, and mitochondrial activity in ejaculated spermatozoa from fertile and infertile males. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2004 Dec;21(12):445–51.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32. Rossato, M. et al. Antisperm antibodies modify plasma membrane functional integrity and inhibit osmosensitive calcium influx in human sperm. Hum Reprod. 2004 Aug;19(8):1816–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33. Liu, DY. et al. Calcium ionophore-induced acrosome reaction correlates with fertilization rates in vitro in patients with teratozoospermic semen. Hum Reprod. 1998 Apr;13(4):905–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34. Kiliç, S. et al. Effect of total and ionized calcium levels of seminal fluid on sperm motility. Urol Int. 1996;56(4):215–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35. Oehninger, S. et al. Defective calcium influx and acrosome reaction (spontaneous and progesterone-induced) in spermatozoa of infertile men with severe teratozoospermia. Fertil Steril. 1994 Feb;61(2):349–54.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36. Benoff, S. et al. Male infertility and environmental exposure to lead and cadmium. Hum Reprod Update. 2000 Mar-Apr;6(2):107–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37. Omu, AE. et al. Magnesium in human semen: possible role in premature ejaculation. Arch Androl. 2001 Jan-Feb;46(1):5966.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38. Bakalczuk, S. et al. [Level of zinc and magnesium in semen taken from male partners of married infertile couples] Ginekol Pol. 1994 Feb;65(2):6770.Google Scholar
39. Deger, O. et al. Semen magnesium levels in fertile and infertile subjects. Magnesium. 1988;7(1):68.Google ScholarPubMed
40. Adamopoulos, DA. et al. Seminal plasma magnesium, calcium and inorganic phosphate concentration in normozoospermic and subfertile men. Andrologia. 1983 Nov-Dec;15(6):648–54.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
41. Abyholm, T. et al. Seminal plasma fructose, zinc, magnesium and acid phosphatase in cases of male infertility. Int J Androl. 1981 Feb;4(1):7581.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
42. Kiziler, AR. et al. High levels of cadmium and lead in seminal fluid and blood of smoking men are associated with high oxidative stress and damage in infertile subjects. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2007 Winter;120(1-3):8291.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
43. Pant, N. et al. Lead and cadmium concentration in the seminal plasma of men in the general population: correlation with sperm quality. Reprod Toxicol. 2003 Jul-Aug;17(4):447–50.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
44. Benoff, S. et al. Cadmium concentrations in blood and seminal plasma: correlations with sperm number and motility in three male populations (infertility patients, artificial insemination donors, and unselected volunteers). Mol Med. 2009 Jul-Aug;15(7-8):248–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
45. Siu, ER. et al. Cadmium-induced testicular injury. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2009 Aug 1;238(3):240–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
46. Wu, HM. et al. Cadmium level in seminal plasma may affect the pregnancy rate for patients undergoing infertility evaluation and treatment. Reprod Toxicol. 2008 Aug;25(4):481–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
47. Benoff, SH. et al. Seminal lead concentrations negatively affect outcomes of artificial insemination. Fertil Steril. 2003 Sep;80(3):517525.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
48. Gerhard, I. et al. Heavy metals and fertility. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 1998 Aug 21;54(8):593611.Google ScholarPubMed
49. Chia, SE. et al. Effect of cadmium and cigarette smoking on human semen quality. Int J Fertil Menopausal Stud. 1994 Sep-Oct;39(5):292–8.Google ScholarPubMed
50. Saaranen, M. et al. Human seminal plasma cadmium: comparison with fertility and smoking habits. Andrologia. 1989 Mar-Apr;21(2):140–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
51. Shiverick, KT. et al. Cigarette smoking and pregnancy I: ovarian, uterine and placental effects. Placenta. 1999 May;20(4):265–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
52. Brzóska, MM. et al. Interactions between cadmium and zinc in the organism. Food Chem Toxicol. 2001 Oct;39(10):967–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
53. Bremner, I. The toxicity of cadmium, zinc and molybdenum and their effects on copper metabolism. Proc Nutr Soc. 1979 Sep;38(2):235–42.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
54. Benoff, SH. et al. The role of zinc (Zn) in lead (Pb)-induced reproductive toxicity. Fertil Steril. 2003 Sep;80(S3):S265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
55. Al-Bader, A. et al. Chronic cadmium toxicity to sperm of heavy cigarette smokers: immunomodulation by zinc. Arch Androl. 1999 Sep-Oct;43(2):135–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
56. Rosado, JL. et al. Iron and/or zinc supplementation did not reduce blood lead concentrations in children in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Nutr. 2006 Sep;136(9):2378–83.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
57. Howard, JM. et al. Red cell magnesium and glutathione peroxidase in infertile women--effects of oral supplementation with magnesium and selenium. Magnes Res. 1994 Mar;7(1):4957.Google ScholarPubMed
58. Závaczki, Z. et al. Magnesium-orotate supplementation for idiopathic infertile male patients: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical pilot study. Magnes Res. 2003 Jun;16(2):131–6.Google ScholarPubMed