What does oxidative stress have to do with your hormones?
Inflammation is having a moment. From “anti-inflammatory” diets to lists of foods we’re told to avoid, it can sometimes seem as though inflammation is being blamed for almost every symptom.
The reality is more nuanced. Inflammation is a normal and necessary process in the body. But when it becomes persistent, it can influence far more than your immune system – including your reproductive health.
And one reason for this is its close relationship with something we hear far less about: oxidative stress. When we talk about hormone health, the conversation usually centres on the hormones themselves. Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone. But your hormones don’t operate in isolation. The health of the cells and tissues they’re communicating with matters too. And one part of that environment that deserves more attention is oxidative stress.
What is oxidative stress?
Your body naturally produces unstable molecules known as free radicals, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), every day. This isn’t inherently a bad thing. ROS have important roles in normal cellular processes and, within the reproductive system, are involved in processes such as ovulation. Your body also has sophisticated antioxidant defence systems designed to keep their activity in check.
Oxidative stress occurs when that balance tips too far – when the production of free radicals exceeds the body’s ability to counteract them. At excessive levels, ROS can damage cellular structures including DNA, proteins and lipids.
Why does this matter for reproductive health?
The ovaries and reproductive system are particularly sensitive to oxidative balance. Research has linked excessive oxidative stress in the ovarian environment with impacts on the maturation, quality and function of egg cells. It may also interfere with ovulation and the intricate hormonal signalling required for this process.
Increased oxidative stress has also been observed in reproductive conditions including Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS, formerly PCOS) and endometriosis. This doesn’t mean oxidative stress causes these conditions. Both are complex and influenced by numerous factors. Rather, it highlights another piece of the reproductive health picture that can be easy to overlook when we focus solely on hormones.
What can tip the balance towards oxidative stress?
It isn’t simply a matter of not eating enough antioxidants (although eating plenty helps significantly). Your body is constantly responding to what’s happening both inside and around it. Smoking and exposure to air pollution can increase oxidative stress, as can some metabolic conditions. Even exercise increases the production of reactive oxygen species in the short term, although regular moderate exercise can help strengthen the body’s own antioxidant defences. Too much or not enough of anything – including exercise – can create issues.
And then there’s inflammation. Inflammation and oxidative stress are closely interconnected, with each capable of contributing to and amplifying the other. Persistent inflammation can promote the production of reactive oxygen species, while oxidative stress can activate pathways that further promote inflammation – you can end up in a vicious cycle. That brings us to the other side of the equation: does your body have the nutritional resources it needs to support its antioxidant defence systems?
Where does nutrition fit into this?
Several nutrients play direct roles in the systems your body uses to manage oxidative stress. Zinc is a cofactor for antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, which helps neutralise potentially damaging free radicals. Magnesium supports the function of glutathione, one of the body’s major antioxidants, and is involved in enzymatic processes that help repair oxidative DNA damage. The right amount of iron is also important for antioxidant defence, as it is involved in enzymes that help protect cells from oxidative damage. And then there are the antioxidants and phytonutrients found abundantly in plant foods (vegetables and fruit) – which many people do not get enough of on a daily basis.
The important thing to recognise is that nutritional insufficiency is common. And for women in particular, nutritional demands can shift considerably across different stages of life, from menstruation and pregnancy through to perimenopause. So while nutrition is certainly not the only factor influencing oxidative stress, inflammation or reproductive health, it is one part of the picture we have the opportunity to support every day.
