Infertility and Nutritional Deficiencies

Mineral Deficiencies and Toxicities can Cause Infertility

Jun 1, 2009 Kristin Collins

Infertility can be caused by many different factors including functional and even emotional but many people miss the possibility it is caused by a deficiency or toxicity.

Are you having trouble falling pregnant and your GP is telling you to relax and it will happen? Have you had all the fertility tests under the sun and been told everything is normal?

If this sounds like you then you need to read on as infertility can be caused by a simple deficiency or toxicity of a particular mineral. Discussed below are a few examples of some minerals that can contribute to infertility.

Zinc

In severe zinc deficiency, a woman's menstrual cycle can actually cease. Without a cycle, a woman cannot conceive.

For years, low zinc levels have been linked to miscarriage and a failure to implant. In men, low zinc levels can mean a failure for sperm to reach it's target and a decrease in testosterone.

Zinc levels can be tested in two ways. A liquid zinc that is swirled in the mouth for 10 seconds. If you have a strong metallic taste upon spitting out the zinc, this can mean a zinc deficiency, alternatively, if there is no taste then the levels are considered normal.

Another way of testing zinc is to conduct a hair tissue mineral analysis.

Selenium

Selenium is widely known to be deficient in soils in certain countries. Selenium absorption is also blocked by certain toxic metals, increasing the importance of being tested for toxicity.

A deficiency in Selenium can cause a reduction in testosterone in men with a reduced sperm motility and count.

Copper

Regardless of common belief, copper can cause fertility problems when it is toxic and deficient. Copper has an affinity with oestrogen in that oestrogen can increase copper tissue levels.

Women who have been taking the oral contraceptive pill may have difficulty conceiving due to the synthetic oestrogen increasing the copper levels. The Pill can cause a phenomenon called 'oestrogen dominance' that overpowers the conceiving effects of progesterone.

Progesterone regulates the menstrual cycle and facilitates implantation. A Copper toxicity also blocks zinc absorption so the two minerals have to be in a correct ratio to increase the chance of conception.

Iron

Iron is another mineral that can cause problems with conception.

An Iron deficiency causes problems with the thyroid and thyroid hormone levels which is linked to miscarriage and the reduced ability to fall pregnant.

A Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis will detect not only iron levels but also the heavy metals that can block iron absorption such as cadmium, lead, high zinc levels and caffeine.

Manganese

Those with a low functioning thyroid may experience infertility and manganese is one mineral that is required by the thyroid for normal functioning.

Manganese absorption can be compromised with abnormal insulin levels. Both men and women can have conception problems with a manganese deficiency with altered ovulation and altered sperm production.

These minerals are just some of the few that can contribute to infertility. Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis tests are easily accessible and affordable and can be done in the comfort of your own home. This analysis will give you a comprehensive report on a wide range of trace minerals that may be toxic or deficient.

The copyright of the article Infertility and Nutritional Deficiencies in Infertility is owned by Kristin Collins. Permission to republish Infertility and Nutritional Deficiencies in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.