Relationship between Serum Vitamin D in Male, Sperm Function and Clinical Outcomes in Infertile Men Candidate for ICSI: A Cohort Study

Supplementation with vitamin D improves the embryo quality in in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs, independently of the patients' basal vitamin D status

PURPOSE

The study aims to demonstrate the effects of Vitamin D (VD) supplementation, prior to oocyte pick-up within IVF protocols, in women with diverse VD status at the enrollment.

METHODS

A total of 204 women eligible for intra-cytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were included in the study and two homogeneous groups were selected from the database. Both group of patients with normal VD baseline level (> 40 ng/ml) and patients with low VD baseline level (< 20 ng/ml) were divided into control group and treatment group. The control group followed the standard procedure. The treatment group was supplemented with vitamin D3 as cholecalciferol in combination with Myo-Inositol, folic acid, and melatonin 3 months before standard procedure, once a day in the evening.

RESULTS

VD levels significantly increased in the study group of low baseline VD, both in serum and in the follicular fluid compared to controls. The treatment induced a significant improvement of the embryo quality in both group of patients considered.

CONCLUSION

Supplementation of VD in patients undergoing ICSI procedures significantly improved the number of top-quality embryos compared with the control group, either starting from VD normal baseline values or starting from low values.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

07/2018.

Vitamin D and Male Reproduction: Updated Evidence Based on Literature Review

The purpose of this study was to clarify the vitamin D (VD) effect on male infertility. Our research was conducted using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane Library. Selection criteria included all published randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies, focusing on vitamin D and male reproductive function. The results showed that the effects of VD on male reproduction has been investigated in three different topics: the molecular mechanism underlying VD effects on semen quality (SQ), the relationship between VD levels and SQ, and the effect of VD supplementation on SQ. Results supported the hypothesis of a relevant interrelation between concentrations of male VD and semen parameters, with particular reference to sperm motility; on the contrary, evidence on the effect of VD on male sex steroid hormone levels was inconclusive. The results of this review hold up the thesis that VD plays a role in male reproduction. Most of the data highlighted a positive effect on semen quality, particularly in sperm motility, both in fertile and infertile men. Additional dedicated studies are required to elucidate the still controversial aspects of this topic.