The association between serum vitamin D, fertility and semen quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

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#adult #fertility #humans #infertility #infertility-male

The association between serum vitamin D, fertility and semen quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Arab et al., 2019 | Int J Surg | Meta Analysis

Citation

Arab Arman, Hadi Amir, ... Nasirian Maryam. The association between serum vitamin D, fertility and semen quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Surg. 2019-Nov;71:101-109. doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2019.09.025

Abstract

PURPOSE: A number of studies have examined the association between vitamin D, fertility and semen quality, however, findings have been inconclusive. Herein, we systematically reviewed available observational studies to elucidate the overall relationship between vitamin D, fertility and semen quality in adult population. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane's Library, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar and ISI Web of Science databases were searched until December 2018 for all available studies evaluating the association between vitamin D, fertility and semen quality. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used to examine the quality of each study. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies out of 1843 met our inclusion criteria and were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis. Serum 25(OH)D3 was significantly higher in fertile subjects compared to infertile ones (WMD -0.63; 95% CI, -1.06 to -0.21; P = 0.003). Furthermore, there was a significant association between serum 25(OH)D, sperm motility (WMD -5.84; 95% CI, -10.29 to -1.39; P = 0.01) and sperm progressive motility (WMD -5.24; 95% CI, -8.71 to -1.76; P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Our findings add to the existing literature supporting the concept that nutrition, especially vitamin D, plays an important role in men's sexual health. It should be noted that because of significant heterogeneity among the included studies, caution is warranted when interpreting the results. Further well-designed prospective cohort studies and clinical trials are needed for better understanding of the relationship between vitamin D and fertility and its components.

Key Findings

A total of 18 studies out of 1843 met our inclusion criteria and were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis. Serum 25(OH)D3 was significantly higher in fertile subjects compared to infertile ones (WMD -0.63; 95% CI, -1.06 to -0.21; P = 0.003). Furthermore, there was a significant association between serum 25(OH)D, sperm motility (WMD -5.84; 95% CI, -10.29 to -1.39; P = 0.01) and sperm progressive motility (WMD -5.24; 95% CI, -8.71 to -1.76; P = 0.003).

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population adult population
Sample Size 18
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Adult
  • Fertility
  • Humans
  • Infertility
  • Infertility, Male
  • Male
  • Nutritional Status
  • Observational Studies as Topic
  • Prospective Studies
  • Research Design
  • Semen
  • Semen Analysis
  • Vitamin D

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: vitamin-d-fertility

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09