March 15, 2013

Serum levels of vitamin D associated with sperm quality

The main sources of vitamin D are sunlight, food, and supplementation.
Studies in rats have shown lower fertility rates among vitamin D–deficient males males and vitamin D supplementation improved testicular function in vitamin D–deficient rats , suggesting a direct and reversible detrimental effect of vitamin D deficiency . A few epidemiologic studies reported only a weak, if any, association between calcium levels and semen quality.Vitamin D receptors are present in human testis and spermatozoa. Vitamin D is important for spermatogenesis and maturation of sperm cells .

In this cross sectional study of over 700 men semen parameters were compared in men in two groups :  men with low vitamin D levels and men with high vitamin D levels. Findings are summarized below.

There was a trend of lower crude median total sperm count and percentage of normal morphology sperm with higher vitamin D, and men with high vitamin D had approximately 31% lower total sperm count and 23% lower normal morphology compared with men with low vitamin D

Link to article here

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