Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may result in oxidative stress and endocrine system disturbance, which can have an impact on human reproduction and development. In male reproductive ...health, EDCs have been related to impaired reproductive function and male infertility, altered fetal development, and testicular germ-cell, prostate, and breast cancers. We conducted an electronic search using PubMed on endocrine disruptors related to oxidative stress and male infertility, and evaluated their association with endocrine-disrupting chemicals (bisphenols, phthalates, and parabens) in 25 articles. Higher levels of urinary bisphenols showed correlation with impaired semen quality and increased DNA damage. Considering phthalates and their metabolites, all studies found a positive association between urinary levels of phthalates and at least one semen parameter indicative of low semen quality; some studies also revealed sperm DNA damage. The studies on parabens less often revealed correlation of urinary parabens concentrations with a decrease in sperm count, as well as motility and DNA damage. Moreover, EDCs can elevate ROS production and lipid peroxidation, increase apoptosis, induce epigenetic modifications, and change the Y:X sperm chromosome ratio and sperm protein composition. Our review revealed detrimental effects of EDCs on semen quality and sperm DNA integrity—especially in BPA and phthalates, but also in parabens.
Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can result in alterations of the female reproductive system, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of this review was to summarize the ...knowledge about the association of EDCs (bisphenols, parabens, and triclosan) with PCOS. We conducted an electronic literature search using PubMed for studies published between January 2007 and October 2022 on EDCs related to PCOS, and evaluated the association of PCOS with bisphenols, parabens and triclosan in 15 articles. Most studies revealed significantly higher plasma, urinary or follicular fluid levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in women with PCOS, and some showed a positive correlation of BPA with insulin resistance, polycystic morphology on ultrasound, hepatic steatosis, bilirubin levels, as well as free androgen index, androstenedione and testosterone serum levels, and markers of low-grade chronic inflammation. There was a negative correlation of BPA with markers of ovarian reserve, sex hormone binding globulin and vitamin D-binding protein. Parabens and triclosan have been studied in only one study each, with no significant associations with PCOS observed. Our review revealed an association of BPA with PCOS and negative effects of BPA on human ovaries; more research is needed to assess the potential associations of parabens and triclosan with PCOS.
Infertility affects 50 to 80 million people worldwide. Male factor is a cause of infertility in almost half of cases, mainly due to oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). With common diagnostic methods ...no cause can be found in approximately 30% of cases of male infertility due to OAT and these are considered idiopathic. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in male infertility and are proved to be higher in infertile men; antioxidants could oppose their effect. The aim of this paper was to review the literature on clinical trials in the period from year 2000 to year 2013 studying the effects of various types of antioxidant supplements on basic and other sperm parameters and pregnancy rates in subfertile males with idiopathic OAT. The majority of studies were randomized and placebo controlled and confirmed beneficial effect of antioxidants on at least one of the semen parameters; the biggest effect was determined on sperm motility. In many of these trials combinations of more antioxidants were assessed. The optimal dosages of one or more antioxidants were not defined. We concluded that antioxidants play an important role in protecting semen from ROS and can improve basic sperm parameters in case of idiopathic OAT.
Izhodišča: Kronični endometritis (KE) poteka z blagimi kliničnimi znaki in naj bi bil povezan z neplodnostjo, s ponavljajočimi se splavi in ponavljajočo se neuspelo ugnezditvijo zarodka v postopkih ...oploditve z biomedicinsko pomočjo (OBMP). Ker si mnenja o ugotavljanju in zdravljenju KE v postopkih OBMP medsebojno nasprotujejo, smo si zastavili cilj sistematično pregledati članke o vplivu zdravljenja KE na reproduktivni izid pri neplodnih ženskah v postopkih OBMP.
Metode: Pregledali smo zbirko Medline. Uporabili smo deskriptorje iz tezavra Medical subject headings (Mesh), ki so vključevali ključne besede kronični endometritis (angl. chronic endometritis) in zdravljenje (angl. treatment) ter nosečnost (angl. pregnancy). Vključili smo raziskave od januarja 1971 do marca 2022.
Rezultati: V pregled smo vključili 8 raziskav, ki so uporabile različne sheme zdravljenja. Večina raziskav je ugotavljala statistično pomembne razlike v reproduktivnem izidu po zdravljenju KE.
Zaključek: Zdravljenje KE lahko pozitivno vpliva na izid v sledečih si OBMP postopkih, vendar so še potrebne nadaljnje večje randomizirane študije.
Altered levels of heavy metals and essential elements have been associated with oxidative stress (OS) and metabolic and hormonal changes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We aimed to ...summarize the knowledge on the association of heavy metals and essential elements with OS in PCOS. An electronic literature search using PubMed for studies published between January 2008 and April 2023 was conducted. We evaluated heavy metals and essential elements in relation to OS in PCOS in 15 articles. PCOS women had increased antimonium (Sb), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), tellurium (Te), thallium (Tl) and osmium (Os) blood levels and decreased zinc (Zn) blood levels; the results of copper (Cu) blood levels were conflicting. Some studies showed a significant correlation between heavy metals (Sb, Cd, Pb, Hg, As, Te and Tl) and essential elements (Se, Zn, Cr, Ca, Mg and Cu) and markers of OS and chronic inflammation. Heavy metals (Sb, Cd, Pb and Hg) and essential elements (Zn, Cr, Se, Ca, Mg and Cu) were associated with metabolic and hormonal characteristics in PCOS. There might be a possible benefit from supplementation therapy in reducing OS and endocrinological problems related to PCOS. Our review confirmed an association between heavy metals and essential elements with OS in PCOS women. This systematic review is registered in PROSPERO under number CRD42023418453.
Nujna kontracepcija (KC) je kontracepcija za zaščito pred neželeno nosečnostjo neposredno po nezaščitenem spolnem odnosu kot izhod v sili. Na voljo sta dve metodi nujne KC: oralna nujna KC in nujna ...vstavitev materničnega vložka z bakrom. V priporočilih so pojasnjene indikacije za nujno KC, vrste nujne KC, mehanizem delovanja, učinkovitost nujne KC ter previdnostni ukrepi, medsebojno delovanje z zdravili in neželeni učinki. Posebej je predstavljeno svetovanje nujne KC ter raba nujne KC pri različnih stanjih in boleznih žensk. Slovenska priporočila za rabo nujne KC povzemajo mednarodna priporočila in vključujejo prilagoditve za naše razmere.
Background Higher concentrations of seminal reactive oxygen species may be related to male infertility. Astaxanthin with high antioxidant activity can have an impact on the prevention and treatment ...of various health conditions, including cancer. However, efficacy studies on astaxanthin in patients with oligospermia with/without astheno- or teratozoospermia (O±A±T) have not yet been reported. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of the oral intake of astaxanthin on semen parameters. Patients and methods In a randomized double-blind trial, 80 men with O±A±T were allocated to intervention with 16 mg astaxanthin orally daily or placebo. At baseline and after three months basic semen parameters, sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of spermatozoa and serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) value were measured. Results Analysis of the results of 72 patients completing the study (37 in the study group, 35 in the placebo group) did not show any statistically significant change, in the astaxanthin group no improvements in the total number of spermatozoa, concentration of spermatozoa, total motility of spermatozoa, morphology of spermatozoa, DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial membrane potential of spermatozoa or serum FSH were determined. In the placebo group, statistically significant changes in the total number and concentration of spermatozoa were determined. Conclusions The oral intake of astaxanthin did not affect any semen parameters in patients with O±A±T.
Obravnava žensk v obdobju predmenopavze, ob menopavzi in kasneje se je v novem tisočletju pomembno spremenila. Randomizirane klinične raziskave so bistveno omejile indikacije za uvedbo hormonskega ...zdravljenja (HZ) in s tem menopavzno medicino postavile pred velik izziv. Na srečo so najnovejša dognanja potrdila, da je ob pravilni uporabi in izbiri HZ korist še vedno bistveno večja od tveganja. Zato smo pripravili posodobljena stališča o menopavzni medicini, ki so v skladu z aktualnimi mednarodnimi priporočili in prilagojena posebnostim slovenskega prostora.
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