Which mineral substances are the most important for a man's sexual health?

Reaktivne kisikove spojeve (engl. Reactive Oxygen Species, ROS) neutraliziraju antioksidansi koje tijelo samo proizvodi ili ih unosimo hranom i/ili dodacima prehrani – poput likopena, vitamina E i selena. U procesu proizvodnje zdravih muških spolnih stanica važni su još bakar, cink i folna kiselina bez kojih neki procesi u stvaranju i sazrijevanju spermija nisu mogući.

Od devet mineralnih tvari koje su nam potrebne u malim količinama – zinc, copper and selenium najvažniji su za  reproduktivnu funkciju muškaraca. Rezultati studija koje su proučavale koncentracije navedenih nutrijenata u sjemenoj tekućini neplodnih muškaraca, pokazuju kako su koncentracije selena i cinka kod njih značajno snižene u odnosu na zdrave kontrolne ispitanike.

Zinc

Zinc is a trace element naturally present in many foods, such as nuts, legumes, fish, meat, and milk and milk products. Adequate intake of the mentioned foods can ensure the daily needs for this element. Zinc participates in numerous physiological functions of the body, such as proper growth and development, wound healing, proper bone development, strengthening the immune system, and maintaining the health of the reproductive system.

Zinc appears in the seminal fluid in high concentration and has an important role in the physiology of sperm, including the influence on the flexibility and stabilization of their membrane. Likewise, it participates in spermatogenesis, in its last phase of development, where it enables the maturation and mobility of sperm.

A lack of zinc during spermatogenesis is one of the reasons for abnormal sperm growth, while an adequate concentration of zinc in the ejaculate can affect the extension of the life of the ejaculated sperm, which can increase the chance of fertilization. Likewise, zinc is essential in conception and in the initial stages of embryogenesis, i.e. during embryo implantation.

An adequate concentration of zinc can affect the activity of enzymes involved in the synthesis of testosterone, which can affect the increase in their concentration. Increasing the concentration of male sex hormones has a beneficial effect on spermatogenesis, and thus on fertility. Zinc also has an antibacterial effect, especially in the urinary tract of men. Its antioxidant effect through the stabilization of free radicals is also known.An increased concentration of these harmful compounds has been recorded in men who are infertile and in smokers, so these groups can especially benefit from taking zinc.

In conclusion, zinc is an essential micronutrient for male fertility. It can also be considered a nutritional marker with a lot of potential in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.

Selenium

Selenium is an essential trace element that participates in numerous physiological functions of the body. It is interesting how only one Brazil nut meets the daily needs for this valuable element. As a part of numerous enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase and selenoprotein, it plays a key role in numerous biological processes such as antioxidant action, influence on fertility, immune system, thyroid metabolism and many others. Since selenium is a trace element, any small deviation from normal blood levels can have serious consequences.

Selenium is the main constituent of selenoproteins, which play various roles in male fertility. Thus, selenium acts as an intracellular antioxidant in the membranes of the testicles, and also has a protective role for the epithelium of the epididymis.

Također, selen štiti spermije tijekom posljednje faze njihovog sazrijevanja od oksidacijskih oštećenja, ali čini i strukturni dio zrele muške spolne stanice kao selenoprotein. Samim time, selen je esencijalni element za normalnu spermatogenezu.

Given that the quality of seminal fluid depends on the normal development of the spermatogenesis process, any abnormality in this process can be the cause of poorer ejaculate quality, which can also lead to reduced male fertility. Selenium also affects the histological structure of the testes. Selenium deficiency during growth and development can cause slow growth of the testicles and later onset of puberty.

It is interesting to highlight the synergistic effect of selenium with vitamin E on reproductive function and the potential beneficial effect of selenium on libido. However, further research is needed in this area.
Studija Morbata i suradnika iz 2018. godine uključila je 12 neplodnih muškaraca, koji su tijekom tri mjeseca uzimali 50 μg selena. Rezultati su pokazali značajno povećanje broja spermija, poboljšanje pokretljivosti,  preživljenja i bolju morfologiju spermija te povećanja volumena ejakulata ispitanika nakon tri mjeseca uzimanja selena u usporedbi sa rezultatima prije studije.

Also, the study looked at the concentration of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), LH (luteinizing hormone), testosterone, glutathione and MDA (malondialdehyde). In men, FSH stimulates the production of sperm, while LH promotes the synthesis of testosterone. Glutathione has an important protective role in the defense of cells against oxidative stress, and MDA is considered a marker of oxidative stress.

Thus, the concentrations of FSH, LH, testosterone and glutathione increased significantly, while the concentration of MDA decreased significantly compared to the measurements before the start of the study (Figure 2).

The results of this study coincide with the results of other studies that confirm that selenium is an essential nutrient for normal spermatogenesis.

Copper

Copper is an important part of numerous metalloenzymes and metalloproteins, so its deficiency can be the cause of problems in different systems in the body, such as the nervous, musculoskeletal, immune and reproductive systems. Copper is a cofactor of many enzymes that participate in numerous cellular processes, which is why it is important to keep its concentration in the blood adequate.Namely, high concentrations of this trace element can cause the formation of a large number of free radicals, which can cause damage to proteins, lipids and DNA. Conversely, the lack of this important element can be the cause of a reduced concentration of enzymes in which copper is found, which can affect the inhibition of the cell cycle. Therefore, all living organisms have developed a fine mechanism by which they regulate the concentration of copper in the cell.

The reason why copper is an element of essential importance for the synthesis of male sex cells is because it is a cofactor of numerous enzymes that participate in all phases of spermatogenesis, but also in the growth of testicular and epididymis cells.

Too low, but also too high concentration of copper can significantly affect the reduction of male fertility through the whole spectrum of different problems.For example, changes in copper concentration can cause a decrease in the number and quality of sperm, disturbances in the synthesis of testosterone, but also disturbances in the metabolism of other micronutrients (such as zinc and iron). However, today the influence of copper on sperm is increasingly being investigated and linked to the impact of environmental pollution and the amount of heavy metals we are exposed to. This interesting area of ​​interest will certainly be the focus of research in the coming years.

Author: Prof. Dr.Sc. Darija Vranešić Bender, clinical nutritionist

Literature:

1. Morbat MM, Hadi AM, Hadri DH. Effect of Selenium in Treatment of Male Inferitlity. Exp Tech Urol Nephrol. 2018. 1(5).