Essentiality of Trace Elements in Pregnancy, Fertility, and Gynecologic Cancers—A State-of-the-Art Review

Abstract

Gynecological neoplasms pose a serious threat to women’s health. It is estimated that in 2020, there were nearly 1.3 million new cases worldwide, from which almost 50% ended in death. The most commonly diagnosed are cervical and endometrial cancers; when it comes to infertility, it affects ~48.5 million couples worldwide and the number is continually rising. Ageing of the population, environmental factors such as dietary habits, environmental pollutants and increasing prevalence of risk factors may affect the reproductive potential in women. Therefore, in order to identify potential risk factors for these issues, attention has been drawn to trace elements. Trace mineral imbalances can be caused by a variety of causes, starting with hereditary diseases, finishing with an incorrect diet or exposure to polluted air or water. In this review, we aimed to summarize the current knowledge regarding trace elements imbalances in the case of gynecologic cancers as well as female fertility and during pregnancy.

Association of Gut Microbiota Enterotypes with Blood Trace Elements in Women with Infertility

“…Zhao et al [ 44 ] reported that the lower educational level was a risk factor for infertility. Previous research has shown that the levels of zinc, magnesium, and iron were significantly decreased in diseases associated with female infertility [ 45 , 46 , 47 ], which was consistent with our results, indicating that inadequate levels of micronutrients are related with unfavorable reproductive function [ 10 ]. Interestingly, in the infertile group, the levels of copper, zinc, magnesium, and iron were lower in the Prevotella -enterotype.…”

“…In peripheral tissues, iron serves as a cofactor for the expression and activation of various metabolic enzymes involved in glycolysis, electron transfer chain, and the TCA cycle, which is essential for follicle development [ 9 ]. The deficiency of these micronutrients can reduce fertility and cause unfavorable pregnancy outcomes [ 10 ]. Carl et al concluded that maternal copper deficiency can lead to intrauterine growth retardation, teratogenicity, fetal death, and persistent postpartum complications [ 11 ].…”

The Importance of Natural Antioxidants in Female Reproduction

“…These are most effective in active sites of enzymes or as a part of transcription factors [ 142 ]. A deficiency in these trace elements (e.g., Zn, Se) is commonly linked with reproduction disorders such as endometriosis, PCOS [ 143 ], and pregnancy disorders such as prolonged labor, or pregnancy-induced hypertension [ 144 , 145 ].…”

“…In addition to antioxidant properties, selenium also has anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, chemopreventive, and antimicrobial effects [ 165 ]. A reduced concentration of selenium in the blood of pregnant women is linked to a risk factor for subfertility [ 144 ] or can be linked to some defects in fetus development [ 166 ]. Selenium can suppress metritis and ovarian cysts [ 167 ].…”

Improving the effectiveness of vaccination against viral and bacterial pathogens through micronutrient supplementation

“…При дотации МН (витамины А, D, цинк и др. ), кроме прямого противовирусного действия [12], наблюдаются следующие эффекты: • повышается активность систем врожденного иммунитета против РНК-вирусов [11]; • усиливается поствакцинальный иммунитет против различных вирусов; • компенсируются хронические коморбидные патологии [13,14]. В настоящее время отсутствуют надежные научные данные обо всем комплексе последствий использования тех или иных вакцин против COVID-19 среди широких слоев населения.…”