Are serum Vitamin D and ionized calcium linked with semen quality and sex steroid hormones in infertile men?

Abstract

Malefactors contribute to nearly fifty percent of infertility cases. It is declared that serum vitamin D and serum ionized calcium (Ca+2) have an impact on male fertility by assisting in sperms maturation, motility, modulation of sperm survival, sex hormones production, and initiation of the acrosome reaction. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between vitamin D concentration, serum Ca+2, semen quality and levels of reproductive hormones in infertile men. A prospective study was undertaken involving102 men. 52 men were assigned to the patient's group included men with infertility. 50 men assigned as the control group included normal fertile men. Each participant in both groups provided double semen specimens for seminal fluid analysis with one fasting blood sample to measure serum vitamin D, serum Ca+2 and reproductive hormones. Data were collected and their relationships with each other were evaluated. Infertile men group had significantly lower vitamin D levels in comparison with the control group, but no difference in serum Ca+2 between the two groups was found. Infertile men with low serum vitamin D level had low total motile sperms, low progressive motile sperms and low sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), whereas no significant correlation with luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulation hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2) and total testosterone (TT) was identified. Low level of serum Ca+2 was associated with low total motility, low progressive motility and exhibited a significant positive correlation with LH and FSH, but no correlation between TT, E2, SHBG and serum Ca+2 was recognized. In conclusion, serum vitamin D and Ca+2 were significantly linked to seminal fluid quality and some reproductive hormones in infertile men.