Changes in copper and zinc plasma concentrations during the normal menstrual cycle in women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether there is a fluctuation of the copper and zinc plasma levels during the menstrual cycle and if this correlates to the physiological fluctuations of estradiol and progesterone plasma concentrations in eumenorrhoic women. METHODS: We studied 14 eumenorrhoic women. Copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), estradiol (E2) and progesterone (Prg) plasma concentrations, during time of menstruation (time 1), midfollicular phase (time 2), time of ovulation (time 3) and midluteal phase (time 4) were determined. RESULTS: We observed significant changes in both copper plasma concentrations and zinc plasma concentrations during the four times studied (p < 0.05). The changes of Cu during the various phases correlated negatively with the changes in E2 (r > 0.5, p < 0.05), whereas the changes of Zn correlated positively with those of E2 (r > 0.8, p < 0.05). We were unable to demonstrate any statistically significant correlation between Cu and Prg or Zn and Prg. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that there is a cyclic fluctuation of Cu and Zn concentrations in plasma during the menstrual cycle, in healthy eumenorrhoic women. This cyclic fluctuation might be due to the cyclic fluctuation of plasma levels of E2.

Antioxidant protection during the menstrual cycle: the effects of estradiol on ascorbic-dehydroascorbic acid plasma levels and total antioxidant plasma status in eumenorrhoic women during the menstrual cycle.

BACKGROUND: Estrogens, apart from their classic role as steroid hormones, also possess significant antioxidant properties. The present study was undertaken to assess the antioxidant potential of the female during the various menstrual phases and to investigate the correlation between ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid plasma levels, total antioxidant plasma status, and estradiol levels. DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirteen eumenorrhoic women were studied. Ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid plasma levels, total antioxidant plasma status, estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone during time of menstruation, midfollicular phase, time of ovulation, and midluteal phase were determined. Ascorbic-dehydroascorbic acid ratio was also calculated. RESULTS: A progressive significant rise in ascorbic acid plasma levels (p < 0.01), ascorbic-dehydroascorbic acid ratio (p < 0.001), and total antioxidant plasma status (p < 0.05) from menstruation to ovulation was observed. Moreover, a significant decrease in dehydroascorbic acid was found at the same phases (p < 0.05). Changes of estradiol levels during the menstrual cycle correlated positively with the changes of ascorbic acid levels and total antioxidant plasma status (p < 0.05). Furthermore, estradiol levels correlated positively with ascorbic acid levels (p < 0.05, r < 0.5), ascorbic-dehydroascorbic acid ratio (p < 0.05, r < 0.5), and total antioxidant plasma status (p < 0.05, r < 0.8) in all menstrual phases. CONCLUSIONS: An elevated antioxidant protection during ovulation and the midluteal phase appears to be present in eumenorrhoic women. Moreover we observed a cyclic variation in the antioxidant parameters we assayed in the females in the present study, which could be due to cyclic changes in estradiol levels.