Introduction
Vitamin D (VitD) deficiency is a global issue that affects all age groups, including women of reproductive age. It has also been associated with a variety of reproductive disorders and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Recent studies highlight the VitD role in regulating male and female reproductive health (1, 2). Matias et al. observed that VitD could reduce preeclampsia-related inflammasome and the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB pathway activation (3). VitD can also improve insulin sensitivity by increasing insulin receptiveness to glucose transport, reducing the chances of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. As far as the role of VitD in reproductive physiology is concerned, it was documented to be a predictor of the success of in vitro fertilization treatment (4). Supplementation with VitD has been shown to improve pregnancy outcomes (5).
Published manuscripts
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A perspective study authored by Liu et al. investigated the influence of thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) and VitD levels on early pregnancy outcomes in women of normal thyroid function who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF). The study found low serum VitD in subjects with TAI with fewer good-quality embryos. Additionally, aging also reduced the chances of pregnancy. The paper provides clinical practice guidelines for managing infertility in patients with normal thyroid function. Future studies should explore the effectiveness of VitD interventions in patients with TAI-assisted reproductive techniques (ART).
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Another prospective study by Liu et al. emphasizes the influence of TAI on serum and follicular fluid (FF) VitD levels and VitD receptor expression in granulosa cells (GCs) on laboratory results in infertile patients undergoing IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment. The study found that TAI has a more detrimental effect on the maturation of good-quality embryos as compared to low VitD levels.
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A study conducted by Wei-Jiun Li et al.: The original article describes that low VitD levels are a risk factor for Post partum heamorrhage (PPH), and low levels of VitD are associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing low haemoglobin levels before delivery. Therefore, the study recommends that VitD should be corrected during antenatal care to avoid PPH and its complications.
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Shan et al.: The original article declared that lower serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with higher risks of hyperandrogenemia (HA) in females with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The study identified increased BMI and age greater than 26 years as risk factors for PCOS women with VitD deficiency which should be considered for HA assessment and correction of VitD.
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Zhou et al.: This meta-analysis concludes that VitD supplementation improves the chemical pregnancy rate in infertile women with VitD deficiency; however, VitD supplementation does not improve the clinical pregnancy rate and all secondary outcomes. Further studies are needed to explore the role of VitD on other IVF outcomes, like fertilization rate and ongoing pregnancy rates.
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Another systematic review authored by Li et al. reviews “nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for PCOS undergoing therapy with magnesium supplementation alone or in combination with other agents”. The study outcome indicated that magnesium supplementation in combination with other supplements may be a potential therapeutic option for improving metabolic disorders in PCOS patients.
Recent studies have found promising results in using VitD supplementation to improve oxidative stress, reproductive endocrine and metabolic parameters. VitD may positively affect fertility and metabolic health by influencing hormone levels and metabolic markers (6). However, more research is needed to determine the best dosage, duration, and timing for supplementation. Researchers, clinicians, and policymakers must collaborate to establish evidence-based guidelines for using VitD in reproductive health. These advancements in VitD supplementation offer potential benefits for individuals and couples looking to enhance fertility and achieve metabolic balance.
Statements
Author contributions
FA initiated the write-up of the editorial. MB, AK, and RR completed the write-up. All authors revised the manuscript before final submission. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
Acknowledgments
We are thankful to other topic editors: Professor Berthold Hocher and Professor Zeba Haque for their support.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
References
1
Shahrokhi SZ Ghaffari F Kazerouni F . Role of vitamin D in female reproduction. Clin Chim Acta (2016) 455:33–8. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2015.12.040
2
Rehman R Lalani S Baig M Nizami I Rana Z Gazzaz ZJ . Association between vitamin D, reproductive hormones and sperm parameters in infertile male subjects. Front Endocrinol (2018) 9:607. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00607
3
Matias ML Romao-Veiga M Ribeiro VR Nunes PR Gomes VJ Devides AC et al . Progesterone and vitamin D downregulate the activation of the NLRP1/NLRP3 inflammasomes and TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB pathway in monocytes from pregnant women with preeclampsia. J Reprod Immunol (2021) 144:103286. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2021.103286
4
Zhao J Liu S Wang Y Wang P Qu D Liu M et al . Vitamin D improves in vitro fertilization outcomes in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance. Minerva Med (2019) 110(3):199–208. doi: 10.23736/S0026-4806.18.05946-3
5
Abdullah UH Lalani S Syed F Arif S Rehman R . Association of Vitamin D with outcome after intra cytoplasmic sperm injection. J Maternal-Fetal Neonatal Med (2017) 30(1):117–20. doi: 10.3109/14767058.2016.1163680
6
Alam F Rehman R Fatima SS Ashraf M Khan TA . Suggested role of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) gene in female infertility: A cross-sectional study in Pakistan. Int J Clin Pract (2021) 75(6):e14132. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.14132
Summary
Keywords
vitamin D, free vitamin D, reproductive outcomes, endocrine disorders, pregnancy complications
Citation
Alam F, Khan AH, Baig M and Rehman R (2023) Editorial: Recent advances in vitamin D supplementation for improved reproductive endocrine and metabolic parameters. Front. Endocrinol. 14:1251388. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1251388
Received
01 July 2023
Accepted
09 August 2023
Published
18 August 2023
Volume
14 - 2023
Edited and reviewed by
Richard Ivell, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
Updates
Copyright
© 2023 Alam, Khan, Baig and Rehman.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Rehana Rehman, drrehana7@gmail.com, rehana.rehman@aku.edu
†ORCID: Faiza Alam, orcid.org/0000-0002-4131-129X; Rehana Rehman, orcid.org/0000-0001-9730-5553
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.