Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38263587›Full record

ArticleClinical and experimental reproductive medicine2024

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, Alireza Nazari, Soheila Pourmasumi

Abstract read
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Article in Clinical and experimental reproductive medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Mahtab ZarepoorClinical Research Development Unit (CRDU), Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Alireza NazariSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Soheila PourmasumiNon-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveVitamin 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.

methodsPhase 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.

resultsRegular 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.

conclusionOur 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.

Indexed as

COVID-19InfertilitySpermVaccinesVitamin D

Identifiers

PMID38263587
PMCPMC11140254

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