Serum Antioxidants Are Associated with Serum Reproductive Hormones and Ovulation among Healthy Women

Sunni L. Mumford, Browne RW, Richard W. Browne, Karen C. Schliep, Schmelzer J, Jonathan Schmelzer, Torie C. Plowden, Plowden TC, Michels KA, Kara A Michels, Lindsey A. Sjaarda, Shvetha M. Zarek, Neil J. Perkins, Lynne C Messer, Messer LC, Rose G Radin, Radin RG, Jean Wactawski‐Wende, Jean Wactawski-Wende, Enrique F. Schisterman
The Journal of nutrition · 2016 · vol. 146(1) , pp. 98–106 · doi:10.3945/jn.115.217620 · PMID:26581679 · PMC4700980
Observational OA: closed
📄 Open PDF View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by gemini-2.5-flash-lite, 2026-08-02 ⓘ

Serum concentrations of retinol, α-tocopherol, and ascorbic acid were associated with reproductive hormones, while the α- to γ-tocopherol ratio correlated with an increased risk of anovulation in healthy women.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Evidence is growing that the equilibrium between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants plays a vital role in women's reproductive health. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate variations in serum antioxidant concentrations across the menstrual cycle and associations between antioxidants and reproductive hormones and anovulation among healthy women. METHODS: The BioCycle Study, a prospective cohort, followed 259 women aged 18-44 y for up to 2 menstrual cycles. Serum fat-soluble vitamin and micronutrient (α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, retinol, lutein, lycopene, and β-carotene), ascorbic acid, and reproductive hormone concentrations were measured 5-8 times/cycle. We used weighted linear mixed models to assess associations between antioxidants and hormone concentrations, after adjustment for age, race, body mass index, parity, sleep, pain medication use, total energy intake, concurrent hormones, serum cholesterol, F2-isoprostanes, and other antioxidants. Generalized linear models were used to identify associations with anovulation. RESULTS: Serum antioxidant concentrations varied across the menstrual cycle. Retinol and α-tocopherol were associated with higher estradiol [RR: 1.00 pg/mL (95% CI: 0.67, 1.34 pg/mL); RR: 0.02 pg/mL (95% CI: 0.003, 0.03 pg/mL), respectively] and testosterone [RR: 0.61 ng/dL (95% CI: 0.44, 0.78 ng/dL); RR: 0.01 ng/dL (95% CI: 0.001, 0.01 ng/dL), respectively]. Ascorbic acid was associated with higher progesterone (RR: 0.15 ng/mL; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.25 ng/mL) and with lower follicle-stimulating hormone (RR: -0.06 mIU/mL; 95% CI: -0.09, -0.03 mIU/mL). The ratio of α- to γ-tocopherol was associated with an increased risk of anovulation (RR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.06). CONCLUSIONS: These findings shed new light on the intricate associations between serum antioxidants and endogenous hormones in healthy premenopausal women and support the hypothesis that concentrations of serum vitamins affect steroidogenesis even after adjustment for oxidative stress.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

MeSH descriptors

Antioxidants Follicle Stimulating Hormone Ovulation Adolescent Adult alpha-Tocopherol alpha-Tocopherol Anovulation Anovulation Antioxidants Ascorbic Acid Ascorbic Acid beta Carotene beta Carotene Carotenoids Carotenoids Energy Intake F2-Isoprostanes F2-Isoprostanes Female

Funding

funders
[{'doi': '10.13039/100000071', 'name': 'National Institute of Child Health and Human Development', 'awards': ['N01-HD-3-3355']}, {'doi': '10.13039/100000071', 'name': 'National Institute of Child Health and Human Development', 'awards': ['N01-HD-3-3356']}, {'doi': '10.13039/100000071', 'name': 'National Institute of Child Health and Human Development', 'awards': ['N01-HD-3-3358']}]

Citation neighborhood (2-hop)

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. Outer rings show 2-hop neighbours — papers reached through the immediate citers/citees. [ collapse to 1-hop ]

References (50)

Source provenance

crossref
last seen: 2026-07-29T07:08:45.498531+00:00
europepmc
last seen: 2026-10-11T09:27:45.537177+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-10-08T21:16:50.396854+00:00
unpaywall
last seen: 2026-10-14T06:23:58.021457+00:00