Key predictors of fertility: Exploring the role of Vitamin-D
Pak J Med Sci . 2024 Nov;40(10):2363-2367. doi: 10.12669/pjms.40.10.9774.
Huma Salahuddin 1, Samar Zaki 2, Mussarat Ashraf 3, Rehana Rehman 4
Background & objectives: The relationship of Vitamin-D (VD) with Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is recognized. This study was conducted to determine whether VD is a predictor of fertility and investigate its relationship with female reproductive hormones and markers of ovarian reserve in female population of Karachi.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from July 2020 to June 2022 at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) with recruitment of 135 fertile and infertile subjects. VD, AMH, FSH and LH levels were estimated by 'Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA)'. By applying binary logistic regression, variables with p-value < 0.25 in univariate analysis were used for multivariate regression model and adjusted odds ratios were computed. In multivariate analysis, significance was p-value ≤ 0.05.
Results: VD deficiency was observed in all infertile female subjects. In univariate regression analysis, FSH, LH, LH/FSH ratio and VD levels turned out to be significant. The Multivariate analysis represented that for every one ng/mL increase in VD level, the odds of fertility were expected to be 50.154 times higher with p-value < 0.001. The positive correlation of VD with FSH was significant.
Conclusion: VD deficiency was prevalent in all infertile female subjects. VD levels were strong predictor of fertility in the study population. The significant association of VD with FSH explained the indirect effect of VD on follicular development and ovarian functions however no relationship of VD with ovarian reserve was exhibited.
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Perhaps the 50X factor is an over-estimation due to their multivariant analysis used variables -FSH, LH, LH/FSH ratio and BMI - some of which are assocated with Vitamin D levels. A multivariant analysis should only adjust for independant variables
VitaminDWiki – Vitamin D greatly improves Fertility
- Vitamin D is needed for human fertility – goal is 50 ng – Sept 2018
- In-vitro Fertilization costs at least 10,000 dollars, Vitamin D costs 5 dollars
- Women were 50X more likely to be fertile if just 1 ng higher level of vitamin D – Nov 2024
- Infertile patients 1.7X more-likely to become pregnant if take Vitamin D – meta-analysis Feb 2023
- Live birth 1.7 X more likely after IVF if good level of vitamin D – meta-analysis Aug 2020
- If diagnosed infertile, more likely to have live birth if Vitamin D fortification – Feb 2020
- Preconception vitamin D is great - every extra 10 ng associated with 10 percent more likely to have live birth – Aug 2018
- Women with more than minimum vitamin D were 3.4 X more likely to achieve pregnancy and 1.6 X more likely to have live births – June 2017
- Assisted Reproduction – 5 studies concluded vitamin D repletion helps – Review March 2015
- Pregnancy success increased 30 percent if sunny (or vitamin D) one month earlier – June 2015
- IVF 4X more successful for white women with lots of vitamin D – many studies
Increased male Vitamin D increases fertility
- Birth rates doubled with Vitamin D - 300,000 for infertile men – RCT Nov 2017
- Higher vitamin D results in 22% fewer abnormal sperm (Mendelian analysis) – May 2024
- Conception was 3.7X more likely if the male had a good level of Vitamin D – July 2022
- Far better sperm in fertility clinic if more than 30 ng of Vitamin D - June 2022
- Fertility (sperm) associated with vitamin D – meta-analysis Sept 2019
- Infertility - 71 percent of the time of BOTH partners had less than 20 ng of Vitamin D – Aug 2017
- Male fertility 4 X higher if high Vitamin D – Nov 2015
- Vitamin D somewhat assists reproduction – both the mother and the father – May 2014
Decreased Fertility if decreased Vitamin D Receptor