Hormones get most of the attention in conversations about fertility, but they aren’t the starting point. They’re where it shows up. What actually determines how smoothly your hormones rise, fall, and communicate is something far more fundamental: your mineral availability.
Every hormone pathway relies on enzymes. And those enzymes depend on minerals to function properly.
Minerals enable your enzymes to do their work.
Enzymes create, activate, and clear hormones.
Every signal your brain sends to your ovaries depends on mineral-driven energy.
This is why “hormonal imbalance” is often a surface-level description rather than the root cause. Most hormone symptoms begin earlier—at the level where minerals determine enzyme capacity.
There is so much more beneath the hormonal imbalance, and that’s where I’m especially fascinated. It’s easier to conclude that all the symptoms or struggles in your TTC journey are due to “hormonal imbalance,” but there is actually far more to that story.
Hormones Are Messengers — Minerals Are the Workforce
Hormones are not independent operators. They’re created, activated, and broken down by specific enzymes, and those enzymes depend on minerals to function. Without minerals, enzymes can’t catalyze the reactions that enable hormone communication.
Hormones depend on:
- Enzymes that build them
- Enzymes that activate them
- Enzymes that break them down
- And the mineral-driven energy that makes all of this possible
When mineral availability is low, the enzymes responsible for hormone creation can only work at partial capacity. (Can we expect a car with an empty tank to run the way it does when it’s full? I don’t think so.) This can show up as estrogen rising less cleanly, ovulation shifting later, thyroid conversion slowing, or progesterone being harder to sustain. These aren’t moral failures or personal weaknesses—they’re physiological limitations.
But here’s a crucial piece most women aren’t told:
The same mineral-supported enzymes that create hormones are also responsible for clearing them.
I’m not saying minerals are the solution to everything, but nothing in hormonal physiology works without them.
When enzymes like COMT or CYP450 pathways don’t receive the minerals they require (magnesium, copper, molybdenum, zinc), estrogen can build up or recirculate. What is often labeled “estrogen dominance” frequently traces back to enzyme capacity, not hormone production.
The body doesn’t begin with hormones—it starts with minerals that activate the enzymes that produce, use, and clear those hormones.
When the minerals are sufficient, the enzyme systems work with clarity, and the hormonal patterns tend to reflect that balance.
Think of it as a cascade:
- Minerals support the foundation
- Enzymes run the process
- Hormones express the result
- Clearance keeps the cycle moving
This perspective alone makes fertility feel more understandable—and more supportive—than you’ve ever been taught.
Key Minerals That Directly Shape Your Cycle
Below are a few key minerals that play a significant role in everything from metabolic function to endocrine health.
1. Copper: The Ovulation Catalyst
Copper isn’t just involved in hormone production. It shapes how your body manages iron, mitochondrial energy, and oxidative balance—all crucial for ovulation.
Key copper-dependent enzymes:
- Cytochrome c oxidase (COX-IV)
Drives the final step of ATP production inside mitochondria—essential for follicle selection, egg maturation, and the energy spike required for ovulation. - Superoxide dismutase (SOD1)
Neutralizes oxidative stress inside the developing follicle. Without this protection, oxidative damage can impair egg quality and shorten the fertile window. - Dopamine β-hydroxylase
Converts dopamine → norepinephrine, shaping stress response patterns that directly influence ovulation timing.
When copper is low, estrogen may rise irregularly, ovulation can be harder to sustain, progesterone synthesis may weaken, and cervical fluid quality can shift.
Copper fuels the ovary’s energy system—it’s a core regulator of both mitochondrial and hormonal function.
2. Magnesium: The Stress Buffer + Smooth Operator
Magnesium supports more than 300 enzymes, many of which are directly involved in hormonal timing, detoxification, and nervous system regulation.
Key magnesium-dependent enzymes:
- ATP synthase — stabilizes ATP for hormone production (ATP = energy for hormone production and ovulation)
- 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) — involved in estrogen and progesterone production
- Aromatase (CYP19A1) — converts androgens into estrogens; slowed when magnesium is low
- COMT (catechol-O-methyltransferase) — clears estrogen metabolites; magnesium is a cofactor
- GABA receptor function — magnesium enhances calming neurotransmitter activity, directly affecting stress resilience throughout your cycle
Low magnesium can show up as unclear ovulation patterns, a more reactive nervous system, difficulty sleeping, and a luteal phase that feels harder to move through.
Magnesium helps the cycle transition between phases and supports the nervous system in experiencing those transitions with greater stability.
3. Iodine: The Thyroid’s Non-Negotiable
Iodine is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones, which set the metabolic pace for the entire cycle.
Key iodine-dependent enzymes:
(Technically, thyroid hormone synthesis uses iodine itself rather than an “iodine enzyme,” but several enzymes in the pathway require iodine availability)
- Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) — uses iodine to create T4 and T3
- Deiodinases (D1, D2, D3) — convert T4 → active T3 or reverse T3; selenium + iodine dependent
What a lot of people don’t know: Iodine also has direct roles in breast tissue, ovarian tissue, and the endometrium. Low iodine doesn’t just slow thyroid function—it can contribute to fibrocystic changes, ovarian cysts, and endometrial irregularities.
When iodine is low, glandular tissue becomes cystic (thyroid, ovarian, breast), follicular development slows, basal temperatures remain low, cervical fluid becomes harder to interpret, and the luteal phase feels less supported.
A stable cycle requires stable thyroid signaling—and that begins with iodine.
4. Boron: The Quiet Stabilizer of Hormones, Minerals, and Energy
Boron doesn’t receive much attention, yet it plays a supportive role in several pathways that directly influence mineral balance, hormone metabolism, and inflammatory control.
Key boron-influenced mechanisms:
- Enhances magnesium retention — helping stabilize ATP production, especially important during the metabolic demands leading up to ovulation
- Supports vitamin D activation (1-alpha hydroxylase) — which influences immune balance and inflammation around ovulation
- Modulates estrogen and progesterone metabolism through enzymes like 17β-HSD and aromatase (CYP19A1), helping hormonal communication feel smoother throughout the cycle
- Regulates inflammatory cytokines (like TNF-α and IL-6), keeping the ovulatory environment balanced rather than overly inflamed
- Influences mineral movement across cell membranes, especially calcium, sodium, and potassium—supporting a steadier mood and clearer ovulatory signals
When boron is low, you might also be low in vitamin D or magnesium. The hormonal rhythm may feel “blunt” or less predictable, not because hormones are malfunctioning, but because the systems that support hormonal communication are strained.
Boron is like the mineral that helps the entire orchestra play in better synchrony.
5. Zinc: The Progesterone Protector
Zinc is essential for luteal strength, implantation, and early embryo development.
Key zinc-dependent functions:
- 3β-HSD (3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase)
Converts pregnenolone → progesterone. Low zinc levels mean slower progesterone production even when ovulation is strong. - 17β-HSD (17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase)
Helps balance estrogen and supports the broader steroid hormone cascade. - Cu/Zn Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1)
Protects ovarian and luteal cells from oxidative stress, supporting healthy progesterone output. - DNA Polymerases (zinc-dependent)
Essential for egg quality, chromosomal stability, and early embryo development. - LH Receptor Integrity (zinc-stabilized protein structure)
Zinc helps maintain the shape and sensitivity of LH receptors—crucial for triggering progesterone production after ovulation.
Low zinc can show up as short luteal phases, harder-to-maintain progesterone, skin issues, slow healing, and early pregnancy challenges.
Zinc is often called “the fertility mineral” for good reason—without it, even perfect ovulation can fail to produce adequate progesterone support. Zinc strengthens the second half of the cycle, the half that holds possibility.
Hormones Can’t Compensate for a Low-Mineral State
Hormone “imbalance” often begins long before hormones shift. Even if lab results look normal, hormone function depends on whether enzymes have what they need to operate—meaning whether your cells can actually use them.
Low minerals can lead to:
- Delayed ovulation
Progesterone that doesn’t anchor the luteal phase - Inconsistent thyroid signaling
- Hard-to-read cervical mucus
- Slower metabolism
- Insulin resistance that looks hormonal but is rooted in low magnesium, chromium, and potassium (more on this later)
- Histamine intolerance that gets mistaken for estrogen issues because the enzymes that clear histamine are mineral-dependent (more on this later)
- Increased stress sensitivity
Hormones cannot override conditions they depend on.
When minerals rise, enzyme systems strengthen, and hormones follow.
Modern Life Creates the Perfect Storm for Mineral Loss
Not only are minerals essential, but modern interventions in our soil, food system, water treatment, and even parts of our medical system mean we are now exposed to more anti-mineral substances than at any point in human history.
Multiple changes over the last century have reduced the mineral environment your body depends on:
- Soil depletion has reduced the mineral density of our food by 40-70% compared to 50 years ago.
- Water chlorination and fluoridation interfere with iodine and alter mineral absorption.
- Food processing strips magnesium, potassium, and trace minerals from grains and packaged foods
- Agricultural sprays (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides) introduce compounds that compete with minerals at the cellular level.
- EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals)—such as BPA, phthalates, PFAS, parabens, and synthetic fragrances—interfere with mineral-dependent enzymes, thyroid signaling, and ovarian communication
- Pharmaceuticals (PPIs, antihistamines, certain antidepressants, and birth control) reduce absorption or increase excretion of magnesium, zinc, copper, and B vitamins.
- Environmental halides (fluoride, bromide, chlorine, etc.) compete with iodine for uptake by the thyroid.
- Chronic stress increases the burn rate of magnesium, sodium, and potassium.
- Alcohol consumption increases the excretion of zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins.
Each factor alone might feel minor. Together, they reshape physiology in ways most women never learn about.
And because every hormone signal relies on mineral-dependent enzymes, this mineral loss translates directly into the issues we face today—and the number of women who are diagnosed with hormone-related conditions continues to rise.
Your body isn’t malfunctioning—it’s reacting to a world that drains its resources faster than nature can replace them.
The Good News: Mineral Depletion Can Be Reversed
Mineral depletion isn’t a permanent state. It’s a reflection of inputs—food quality, stress load, digestion, and environmental exposure—not a reflection of your body’s inability to function.
The same enzymes that slow down when minerals are low can become active again when those minerals are restored.
The same pathways that felt “blocked” begin moving when they have fuel.
The same hormonal patterns that felt unpredictable often settle once the foundation is rebuilt.
When minerals rise:
- Enzyme capacity increases
- Mitochondrial energy improves
- Hormone balance stabilizes
- Insulin response becomes steadier
- Histamine tolerance improves
- Cycle patterns often become more predictable / consistent
- Inflammation and oxidative stress decrease
Your body isn’t stuck.
It’s responsive—and it’s designed to recover when given what it has been missing.
Why Supplementation Becomes Necessary
Now that being said, you may ask:
“If depletion is this significant, what do we do about it?”
Supplementation is not about overriding the body—it’s about restoring the raw materials modern life has quietly taken away. Our environment drains minerals faster than food alone can replace them, which means the body often needs higher, intentional doses to return to the baseline physiology it was designed for.
This isn’t “biohacking” or forcing a result; it’s restoring our body’s capability by compensating for a world our biology didn’t evolve in.
Once the body has the minerals, energy, and cofactors it was meant to have, it knows exactly what to do. And when we remove the modern factors that deplete these minerals—stress load, halides, EDCs, processed food, disrupted sleep—the body can use supplementation the way nature intended: as support, not a shortcut.
This is why we include minerals as part of the foundation. It would be ideal if we could get every nutrient we need solely from food, but in 2025, it’s no longer possible to achieve optimal mineral status through diet alone—not because food isn’t important, but because the food itself has been fundamentally changed.
We don’t understand everything about the body, but we do know that every hormone depends on mineral-supported enzymes.
This isn’t a theory. It’s basic biochemistry.
A Practical Approach to Mineral Restoration
Focus on food first, supplement strategically:
- Prioritize mineral-rich whole foods: organ meats, shellfish, sea vegetables, bone broth, properly prepared grains and legumes
- Add high-quality sea salt to meals (not table salt—real mineral-rich salt)
- Consider mineral ratios, not just individual minerals (zinc/copper balance, calcium/magnesium ratio, sodium/potassium balance)
- Get on our Mineral Optimization Protocol!
Address mineral drains simultaneously:
- Reduce exposure to EDCs where possible (swap plastic for glass, choose clean personal care products)
- Filter your water to remove chlorine and fluoride
- Practice nervous system regulation (minerals work better when your nervous system isn’t constantly depleting them)
- Improve digestion (minerals can’t help if they’re not absorbed)
Hormones are not the root cause, but the expression of what is going on in the deeper systems underneath. When we address those systems—when we restore mineral balance, support detoxification pathways, stabilize blood sugar, and calm the nervous system—hormones often regulate themselves.
What This Means for Your Fertility
We like to think that fertility isn’t something you push yourself toward—it’s something your body reveals when it finally has enough support to feel safe, nourished, and capable.
Minerals rebuild the physical foundation, but your nervous system, your mindset, and the way you move through your daily life shape the environment your body is responding to.
When your minerals rise, your cells finally have the energy to repair, restore, and communicate. But what you do with that energy matters. Your body listens to every signal you send—the pace you keep, the rest you allow, the boundaries you hold, the way you speak to yourself, the moments you choose nourishment over rushing. These cues tell your body whether it can shift out of survival mode and into creation.
This is not about being perfect, but it’s about partnering with your body instead of working against it.
Fertility becomes less of a battle and more of a natural expression of a woman who is resourced, aware, and supported at her foundation.
When you understand that your hormones can only do what your minerals allow, you stop fighting your body and start listening to it. You stop looking for quick fixes and start building a foundation that can hold not just a pregnancy, but a lifetime of vitality.
And that shift—from forcing to supporting, from fixing to nourishing—is where true fertility may live.