Expanded Perspectives on Nutritional and Dietary Aspects in Female Reproductive Health

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging evidence underscores the integral role of nutrition and dietary patterns in modulating not only ovarian health but also a wide range of female reproductive disorders, including infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and premature ovarian insufficiency. These associations are increasingly conceptualized within the framework of metabolic, endocrine, inflammatory, and microbiome-mediated mechanisms, necessitating a more integrative approach to female reproductive health.

This Special Issue is seeking submissions that focus on the following research areas and nutritional themes:

1. The Role of Specific Nutrients and Functional Compounds
• Antioxidants (e.g., Vitamins C and E, Coenzyme Q10) have been shown to mitigate oxidative stress, a critical factor in ovarian aging and oocyte quality.
• Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids exhibit anti-inflammatory properties with potential benefits in endometriosis, PCOS, and ovulatory dysfunction.
• Micronutrients such as vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and iron play essential roles in menstrual regulation, folliculogenesis, and steroidogenesis.
• Phytochemicals (e.g., polyphenols and flavonoids from green tea, soy, pomegranate) have been explored for their anti-estrogenic and anti-proliferative effects, with implications for uterine fibroids and ovarian cancer prevention.
• Probiotics and gut microbiome modulation are attracting attention as key regulators of estrogen metabolism and systemic inflammation in reproductive disorders.
2. The Impact of Dietary Patterns on Disease Prevention and Management
• The Mediterranean diet has consistently demonstrated benefits in preserving ovarian reserve, improving metabolic profiles in PCOS, and reducing endometriosis-associated pain.
• Low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets may offer therapeutic potential for insulin-resistant PCOS phenotypes, although there are concerns regarding their long-term safety.
• Plant-based diets have been linked to lower risks of reproductive cancers and inflammatory reproductive conditions, while Western-style, high-sugar, ultra-processed diets have been linked to hormonal imbalance, anovulation, and subfertility.
3. Integrative Lifestyle and Nutritional Interventions
• Multidisciplinary interventions targeting weight management, physical activity, stress reduction, and sleep hygiene, alongside dietary modifications, have demonstrated synergistic benefits in restoring ovulatory function and improving fertility outcomes.
• Personalized nutritional strategies addressing obesity-induced subfertility and metabolic dysregulation are increasingly supported by clinical and mechanistic data.

Evolving Research Approaches

• Translational research is focusing on the clinical applicability of functional foods, probiotics, and targeted dietary interventions in reproductive disorders.
• Omics-based approaches, including metabolomics, microbiomics, genomics, and epigenomics, are providing insights into individualized nutritional interventions tailored to reproductive health.
• Longitudinal cohort studies are critical for uncovering the long-term effects of dietary patterns on reproductive health trajectories and disease risk.
• Interdisciplinary clinical trials integrating nutritional science, reproductive medicine, and lifestyle interventions are expanding, providing high-level evidence for clinical guidelines.

Contemporary research increasingly supports a paradigm shift from nutrient-specific interventions toward comprehensive, integrative dietary and lifestyle strategies targeting systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolic dysfunction, and microbiome alterations.

For this Special Issue, we encourage submissions that explore these approaches and how they offer significant promise for improving female reproductive health outcomes across the lifespan, extending beyond ovarian function to encompass hormonal balance, reproductive longevity, and disease prevention.

Dr. Jaewang Lee
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• nutrition
• dietary patterns
• women's health
• reproductive disorders
• antioxidants
• omega-3 fatty acids
• micronutrients
• phytoestrogens