HEAVY METALS AFFECT MALE AND FEMALE FERTILITY.

Heavy metals, which are difficult for the body to eliminate, modify neurotransmitters in the central nervous system and alter hypothalamic GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) release. These substances, such as mercury, can be stored in the pituitary gland and affect the production of gonadotropins, hormones that stimulate gonads like the ovaries and testes. This means they cause changes in brain cells, altering the release of hormones responsible for ovulation and sperm production.

In the adrenal gland, heavy metals are deposited in the lipid-rich cortex and cause the blockage of several enzymes necessary for normal body function, leading to hyperandrogenism (increased male hormones) and polycystic ovary syndrome, especially in the case of mercury. Hypo- and hyperthyroidism (thyroid impairment) are also, in some cases, results of exposure to lead and cadmium. The hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis can be affected by heavy metals directly or indirectly, which modifies the secretion of prolactin, adrenocortical, or thyroid hormones.

In the ovary, the accumulation of heavy metals alters estrogen and progesterone production. This can interfere with normal oocyte (egg) development and cause embryonic chromosomal changes.

Pregnancies occurring in the presence of high concentrations of heavy metals carries a high risk of loss, fetal malformations, placental insufficiency, and premature birth. Exposure to lead, for example, increases the risks of miscarriage, premature birth (birth before 37 weeks), low birth weight, and developmental, behavioral, and learning delays in children due to nervous system damage. Furthermore, lead is teratogenic, causing congenital malformations in the fetus. Such a substance can be present in drinking water, due to pipe corrosion, in batteries, ceramics, jewelry, and paints.

Mercury, arsenic acid, and cadmium also increase the risks of miscarriage and stillbirth. Some studies show that cadmium induces the formation of uterine fibroids, causes miscarriage and placental damage, and reduces the baby's birth weight, in addition to being teratogenic, especially to the central nervous system.

As in women, heavy metals cause male infertility by decreasing sperm count. In men, the presence of lead can also be correlated with strabismus in offspring.

There are three types of mercury: organic, derived from fish, seafood, fungicides, herbicides, and preservatives; inorganic, present in antiseptic and dermatological preparations; and elemental, used in battery production, thermometers, and fluorescent tubes (PVC). Dental amalgam contains 50% elemental mercury, so much so that it was considered the biggest contributor to the mercury burden in the human body.

The discharge of industrial waste is the main source of heavy metal contamination in river waters. Incinerators of urban and industrial waste cause the dispersion of these toxic metals into the air. Lead is used in industrial areas, in paints, printing, galvanizing, and the fuel industry. Insecticides contain arsenic, used in metal processing industries. Cadmium can be ingested through food, such as fish and rice from contaminated soil areas, as it is obtained from phosphate fertilizers.

The medical community has not yet revealed a specific treatment for infertility in patients exposed to heavy metals; what is commonly used is the method of high-complexity assisted reproduction, as it can cause severe seminal changes, or hormonal changes in women that impede proper hormonal function and, consequently, ovulation.

To prevent fertility from being affected, it is ideal for people planning to conceive to distance themselves from or try to reduce contact with these substances, as they are slowly eliminated from the body. In such cases, it is necessary to use protective equipment and, if possible, request a reassignment in professional activity. In cases of established contamination, vitamins can be used or chelation therapy can be performed.

Some research reports that antioxidants, such as vitamins C, E, A, and zinc, protect the body against the harmful effects of these metals as they act as natural chelating agents to eliminate these products.

As a preventive measure, it is recommended to adopt an organic diet (cultivated without pesticides). It is important to thoroughly wash and peel foods before eating them to remove any agricultural chemicals that may be present.

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