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Open AccessJournal ArticleDOI

Vitamin D and fertility: a systematic review.

TLDR
Evidence that vitamin D is involved in female reproduction including IVF outcome (clinical pregnancy rates) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is presented and vitamin D supplementation might improve menstrual frequency and metabolic disturbances in women.
Abstract
Background: Vitamin D has been well-known for its function in maintaining calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and promoting bone mineralization. There is some evidence that in addition to sex steroid hormones, the classic regulators of human reproduction, vitamin D also modulates reproductive processes in women and men. Aim: The aim of this review was to assess the studies that evaluated the relationship between vitamin D and fertility in women and men as well as in animals. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search in Pubmed for relevant English language publications published until October 2011. Results and discussion: The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and vitamin D metabolizing enzymes are found in reproductive tissues of women and men. Vdr knockout mice have significant gonadal insufficiency, decreased sperm count and motility, and histological abnormalities of testis, ovary and uterus. Moreover, we present evidence that vitamin D is involved in female reproduction including IVF outcome (clinical pregnancy rates) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In PCOS women, low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are associated with obesity, metabolic, and endocrine disturbances and vitamin D supplementation might improve menstrual frequency and metabolic disturbances in those women. Moreover, vitamin D might influence steroidogenesis of sex hormones (estradiol and progesterone) in healthy women and high 25(OH)D levels might be associated with endometriosis. In men, vitamin D is positively associated with semen quality and androgen status. Moreover, vitamin D treatment might increase testosterone levels. Testiculopathic men show low CYP21R expression, low 25(OH)D levels, and osteoporosis despite normal testosterone levels.

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Journal ArticleDOI

Vitamin D in human reproduction: a narrative review

TL;DR: Vitamin D supplementation improves fertility outcomes in both sexes in men and women and may have a positive effect on sperm count and motility.
Journal ArticleDOI

Vitamin D in health and disease: a literature review.

TL;DR: Vitamin D physiology and metabolism, its genomic action and association of polymorphisms in vitamin D pathway genes with different diseases are reviewed by focusing on new findings published in the literature.
Journal ArticleDOI

Vitamin D and female fertility

TL;DR: In women undergoing in-vitro fertilization, a sufficient vitamin D level (≥30 ng/ml) should be obtained and a high vitamin D intake might be protective against endometriosis.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Vitamin D Deficiency

TL;DR: The role of vitamin D in skeletal and nonskeletal health is considered and strategies for the prevention and treatment ofitamin D deficiency are suggested.
Journal ArticleDOI

Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention of Vitamin D Deficiency: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline

TL;DR: Considering that vitamin D deficiency is very common in all age groups and that few foods contain vitamin D, the Task Force recommended supplementation at suggested daily intake and tolerable upper limit levels, depending on age and clinical circumstances.
Journal Article

Evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency: An endocrine society clinical practice guideline (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2011) 96, (1911-1930))

TL;DR: The Task Force as discussed by the authors provided guidelines to clinicians for the evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency with an emphasis on the care of patients who are at risk for deficiency, based on systematic reviews of evidence and discussions during several conference calls and e-mail communications.
Journal ArticleDOI

Inflammation and insulin resistance

TL;DR: The evolving concept of insulin resistance and T2D as having immunological components and an improving picture of how inflammation modulates metabolism provide new opportunities for using antiinflammatory strategies to correct the metabolic consequences of excess adiposity.
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