Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine

The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine (대한생식의학회)
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Impact of vitamin D supplementation as COVID-19 vaccine adjuvant on sperm parameters and sex hormones in men with idiopathic infertility: Two separate pre-post studies

  • Mahtab Zarepoor (Clinical Research Development Unit (CRDU), Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Alireza Nazari (Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Soheila Pourmasumi (Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences)
  • Received : 2023.08.26
  • Accepted : 2023.11.18
  • Published : 2024.06.30
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Abstract

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is a major problem for human health worldwide. The mechanisms of vitamin D in the male reproductive system are unknown. After coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines were developed, doubts were raised about their possible effects on male fertility. Based on vitamin D's function in the immune system, its potential role as an adjuvant for COVID-19 vaccines is intriguing. The aims of this study were to assess the effects of vitamin D first on sperm parameters and sex hormones, and then as an immune adjuvant on sperm parameters and sex hormones after study participants had received their second doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: Phase 1 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) included 72 men with idiopathic infertility, and phase 2 had 64 participants who received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Both groups were instructed to take 50,000 IU of vitamin D twice monthly for 3 months. Sperm parameters and sex hormones were assessed pre-and post-supplementation. Results: Regular vitamin D intake for 3 months significantly increased the participants' vitamin D levels (p=0.0001). Both phases showed a positive correlation between vitamin D intake and sperm parameters. Vaccination had no negative effects on sperm parameters and sex hormones. Vitamin D was associated with follicle-stimulating hormone (p=0.02) and testosterone (p=0.0001) in phase 2 after treatment. Conclusion: Our results support vitamin D supplementation as an immune adjunct to COVID-19 vaccination for improving sperm parameters and hormone levels. COVID-19 vaccination is not harmful for male fertility potential, and vitamin D is an effective factor for male fertility.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank all study participants.

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