By Dr. Vaia Siapka (Gynaecologist – Reg. No. 030314546).
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble hormone that the body mainly produces through sun exposure, although it can also be obtained in smaller amounts through certain foods such as fatty fish, eggs, or fortified products. One of its best-known functions is regulating calcium metabolism and contributing to the maintenance of bone health. However, it also plays a role in the functioning of the immune system and in the regulation of inflammatory processes.
Vitamin D is a nutrient that has attracted special interest in recent years, as various studies have found that it may play an important role in the reproductive health of both men and women. Traditionally, it has been associated with bone health, but it is now known to also participate in other bodily processes, such as ovarian function, semen quality, and even embryo implantation.
With the arrival of summer, sun exposure increases, and with it, the body’s ability to synthesize vitamin D. But how can this influence fertility?
In recent years, vitamin D receptors have also been identified in the ovaries, endometrium, placenta, testicles, and sperm cells. This discovery has opened new lines of research into its possible relationship with fertility and pregnancy.
Vitamin D may promote better ovarian function, contribute to oocyte maturation, and improve endometrial receptivity, in addition to being involved in hormonal regulation. Furthermore, it has been observed that many women with conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis have vitamin D deficiency.
Although more studies are still needed to fully understand this relationship, maintaining adequate levels could be beneficial for female reproductive health.
Vitamin D may also play an important role in male fertility. Various studies have associated low levels of this vitamin with reduced sperm motility, alterations in semen quality, and hormonal changes related to testosterone.
For this reason, some specialists consider it important to assess vitamin D levels as part of a comprehensive male fertility evaluation.
Although many people are unaware of it, vitamin D deficiency is very common even in countries with many hours of sunlight, such as Spain. Lack of sun exposure, constant use of sunscreen, certain lifestyle habits, or some metabolic disorders can cause many people to have low levels without knowing it.
For this reason, some fertility assessments include measuring vitamin D levels as part of the general evaluation, especially when there are risk factors or medical history that may justify it.
In any case, supplementation should be individualized and always supervised by a healthcare professional. Although vitamin D is important for overall health, taking supplements without proper guidance does not guarantee improved fertility and, in excess, it may also produce adverse effects.
When there is a confirmed deficiency through testing, correcting it may become part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at improving reproductive health. In these cases, in addition to supplements, recommendations often include lifestyle measures, nutrition, and controlled sun exposure.
Fertility does not depend on a single isolated factor. Ovarian quality, semen quality, hormonal balance, genetics, age, and overall health status all influence fertility together. In this context, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is part of a broader view of reproductive medicine, in which increasing attention is being paid to metabolic, nutritional, and inflammatory factors that may influence the chances of pregnancy.
Elisabeth Lerchbaum, Barbara Obermayer-Pietsch.
Vitamin D and fertility: a systematic review.
European Journal of Endocrinology.
2012;
765-778
Revisión sistemática sobre la relación entre la vitamina D y la fertilidad, incluyendo su posible influencia en la función reproductiva femenina y masculina:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22442230/
Mahsa Irani, Zaher Merhi.
Role of vitamin D in ovarian physiology and its implication in reproduction: a systematic review.
Fertility and Sterility.
2014;
460-468.e3
Revisión sistemática sobre el papel de la vitamina D en la fisiología ovárica y sus posibles implicaciones en la reproducción femenina:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24933120/
Jing Chu, Ioannis Gallos, Anna Tobias.
Vitamin D and assisted reproductive treatment outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Human Reproduction / Oxford University Press.
2018;
65-80
Revisión sistemática y metaanálisis sobre la relación entre los niveles de vitamina D y los resultados de los tratamientos de reproducción asistida:
https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/33/1/65/4582928
Jing Zhao, Xia Huang, Bin Xu.
Whether vitamin D was associated with clinical outcome after IVF/ICSI: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology / BMC.
2018;
13
Revisión sistemática y metaanálisis que evalúa la posible asociación entre la vitamina D y los resultados clínicos tras tratamientos de FIV e ICSI:
https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12958-018-0324-3
Elisabeth Wehr, Stefan Pilz, Nina Schweighofer.
Association of hypovitaminosis D with metabolic disturbances in polycystic ovary syndrome.
European Journal of Endocrinology.
2009;
575-582
Artículo científico que analiza la asociación entre la deficiencia de vitamina D y las alteraciones metabólicas en mujeres con síndrome de ovario poliquístico:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19628623/
Martin Blomberg Jensen.
Vitamin D and male reproduction.
Nature Reviews Endocrinology.
2014;
175-186
Revisión sobre el papel de la vitamina D en la reproducción masculina y su posible relación con la función espermática y la fertilidad:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24419227/
Isabella M. Ciccone, Eduardo M. Costa, João R. Pariz.
Vitamin D and male fertility: an updated review.
World Journal of Men’s Health.
2021;
164-177
Revisión actualizada sobre la relación entre la vitamina D y la fertilidad masculina, incluyendo su posible impacto en la calidad seminal:
https://wjmh.org/DOIx.php?id=10.5534/wjmh.200171
Privacy Policy
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Request for information. We will process your data for as long as it is necessary to deal with your request or request and thereafter 1 year.
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We will process your data until you unsubscribe or cancel your subscription to the newsletter.
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In order to consent to our transfer from this website and the processing of your data, you should carefully read the privacy policy of the social network you wish to access:
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In this way, before clicking on the logos of the SS. RR. present on our website, you can inform yourself and make a redirection with prior knowledge of the processing of your data and on a voluntary basis.
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