Effects of vitamin D supplementation on semen quality and reproductive hormones in patients with asthenozoospermia: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial
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Background: Animal models and observational studies have suggested a favorable role of vitamin D in male reproduction. However, randomized clinical trials investigating the effect of vitamin D supplementation on male fertility are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on semen quality, reproductive hormones, and anthropometric measurements in vitamin D deficient males with Asthenozoospermia. Methods: Forty-four males with infertility were randomly assigned to the vitamin D group (DG, supplemented with 9 pearls of vitamin D containing 50000 IU vitamin D3 once a week for 12 weeks) and placebo group (PG, received 9 pearls of placebo once a week for 12 weeks). Semen quality markers (sperm count, morphology, sperm motility, semen volume), total testosterone, sexual hormone binding globulin (SHBG), free androgen index (FAI), and anthropometric measurements (weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were measured at the baseline and the end of the study. Results: Serum 25-OH-D levels were significantly higher in the DG compared with the PG. In a multivariate adjusted model, WC significantly decreased in the DG in comparison to the CG (-0.90 ± 0.67 cm VS 0.49 ± 0.38 cm). A marginally-significant increase was observed after vitamin D supplementation for SHBG compared to the baseline value in DG (11.69 ± 5.79, P = 0.05). Compared to the baseline value, sperm immotile was decreased after vitamin D supplementation in the DG (-12.35 ± 5.13, P = 0.02). However, no statistical significant differences were observed in the semen quality markers (sperm count, morphology, motility, and volume), total testosterone, free androgen index, and other anthropometric values. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation did not improve semen quality markers, reproductive hormones, and other anthropometric measurements in vitamin D–deficient infertile men compared to the control group.
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The 11 included total-testosterone comparisons were drawn from Gheflati et al., Maghsoumi-Norouzabad et al., Zittermann et al., Pilz et al., Saha et al., Ulrich et al., Rips et al., Mielgo-Ayuso et al., Michalczyk et al., and Ramezani Ahmadi et al.
“The 11 included total-testosterone comparisons were drawn from Gheflati et al. [27], Maghsoumi-Norouzabad et al. [28], Zittermann et al. [31], Pilz et al. [17], Saha et al. [20], Ulrich et al. [21], Rips et al. [22], Mielgo-Ayuso et al. [23], Michalczyk et al. [24], and Ramezani Ahmadi et al. [25].”
Gheflati 2021 was retained with a unit-label flag because the table label was physiologically implausible, but the values were consistent with nmol/L.
“Gheflati 2021 [27] was retained with a unit-label flag because the table label was physiologically implausible, but the values were consistent with nmol/L.”
Gheflati 2021 and Lerchbaum 2017 were excluded from the primary FAI quantitative model because their FAI scales were not sufficiently comparable for a defensible pooled estimate.
“Gheflati 2021 [27] and Lerchbaum 2017 [30] were excluded from the primary quantitative model be-cause their FAI scales were not sufficiently comparable for a defensible pooled estimate.”
Cites
Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2012: results generated from European registers by ESHRE
(2016) · Human Reproduction · doi:10.1093/humrep/dew151 · Cited by 377 · see citing works
Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Testosterone Levels in Men
Pilz, S., Frisch, S., Koertke, H., Kuhn, J., Dreier, J., Obermayer-Pietsch, B., Wehr, E., & Zittermann, A. (2011) · Hormone and Metabolic Research · doi:10.1055/s-0030-1269854 · Cited by 325 · see citing works
Panth, N., Gavarkovs, A., Tamez, M., & Mattei, J. (2018) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2018.00211 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
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Paez-Allendes, L., Valenzuela-Fuenzalida, J. J., Moya, M. P., Oyanedel, G., Cifuentes-Suazo, G., Figueroa-Puig, J., Orellana-Donoso, M., Mateluna-Valls, E., Cabezas-Salgado, J. J., Sanchis-Gimeno, J., et al. (2026) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu18132090
- Authors
- Gheflati, A., Mirjalili, S. A. M., Kaviani, M., Salehi-Abargouei, A., Hosseini-Marnani, E., & Nadjarzade`h, A.
- Affiliations
- Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services (IR)
- Acadia University (CA)
- Venue
- Journal of Nutrition and Food Security
- Publisher
- Knowledge E DMCC
- Published
- 2021-01-31
- ISSN
- 2476-7417 (ISSN-L)
- 2476-7425
- OpenAlex
- W3128687462
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 1.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Nutrition and Food Security (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Vitamin D Research Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Keywords
- vitamin D supplementation, vitamin D deficiency, asthenozoospermia, male infertility, semen quality, sperm motility, reproductive hormones, testosterone, free androgen index, waist circumference, anthropometry
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