Roles of Vitamin D in Reproductive Systems and Assisted Reproductive Technology. 2020

Yilu Chen, and Xu Zhi
Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.

Vitamin D, an essential steroid hormone in the human body, plays an important role in not only the regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism, but also in various physiological processes, such as cell differentiation and apoptosis, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Vitamin D receptors are widely distributed in male and female reproductive systems, suggesting that vitamin D is essential for fertility. Because vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent around the world, this review aims to discuss the potential functions of vitamin D in male and female reproductive systems and the associations between vitamin D and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes. Vitamin D is involved in many physiological reproductive processes, including steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, and acrosome reaction. It is correlated with sperm quality, ovarian reserve, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and endometriosis, among others. Controversial clinical findings on vitamin D levels and ART outcomes were revealed in this review, and demonstrations of efficacy for human fertility in randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation are notably lacking. Thus, further studies are highly required involving molecular mechanisms among different species and human populations, as well as randomized controlled trials.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D005298 Fertility The capacity to conceive or to induce conception. It may refer to either the male or female. Fecundity,Below Replacement Fertility,Differential Fertility,Fecundability,Fertility Determinants,Fertility Incentives,Fertility Preferences,Fertility, Below Replacement,Marital Fertility,Natural Fertility,Subfecundity,World Fertility Survey,Determinant, Fertility,Determinants, Fertility,Fertility Determinant,Fertility Incentive,Fertility Preference,Fertility Survey, World,Fertility Surveys, World,Fertility, Differential,Fertility, Marital,Fertility, Natural,Preference, Fertility,Preferences, Fertility,Survey, World Fertility,Surveys, World Fertility,World Fertility Surveys
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014807 Vitamin D A vitamin that includes both CHOLECALCIFEROLS and ERGOCALCIFEROLS, which have the common effect of preventing or curing RICKETS in animals. It can also be viewed as a hormone since it can be formed in SKIN by action of ULTRAVIOLET RAYS upon the precursors, 7-dehydrocholesterol and ERGOSTEROL, and acts on VITAMIN D RECEPTORS to regulate CALCIUM in opposition to PARATHYROID HORMONE.
D014808 Vitamin D Deficiency A nutritional condition produced by a deficiency of VITAMIN D in the diet, insufficient production of vitamin D in the skin, inadequate absorption of vitamin D from the diet, or abnormal conversion of vitamin D to its bioactive metabolites. It is manifested clinically as RICKETS in children and OSTEOMALACIA in adults. (From Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 19th ed, p1406) Deficiency, Vitamin D,Deficiencies, Vitamin D,Vitamin D Deficiencies
D018167 Receptors, Calcitriol Proteins, usually found in the cytoplasm, that specifically bind calcitriol, migrate to the nucleus, and regulate transcription of specific segments of DNA with the participation of D receptor interacting proteins (called DRIP). Vitamin D is converted in the liver and kidney to calcitriol and ultimately acts through these receptors. Calcitriol Receptors,Cholecalciferol Receptors,Receptors, Vitamin D,Vitamin D 3 Receptors,Vitamin D Receptors,1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol Receptor,1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol Receptors,1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D 3 Receptor,1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Receptor,1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Receptors,Calcitriol Receptor,Receptors, 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D 3,Receptors, Cholecalciferol,Receptors, Vitamin D 3,Receptors, Vitamin D3,Vitamin D 3 Receptor,Vitamin D Receptor,Vitamin D3 Receptor,Vitamin D3 Receptors,1,25 Dihydroxycholecalciferol Receptor,1,25 Dihydroxycholecalciferol Receptors,1,25 Dihydroxyvitamin D 3 Receptor,1,25 Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Receptor,1,25 Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Receptors,D Receptor, Vitamin,D Receptors, Vitamin,D3 Receptor, 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin,D3 Receptor, Vitamin,D3 Receptors, 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin,D3 Receptors, Vitamin,Receptor, 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol,Receptor, 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3,Receptor, Calcitriol,Receptor, Vitamin D,Receptor, Vitamin D3,Receptors, 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol,Receptors, 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3
D027724 Reproductive Techniques, Assisted Clinical and laboratory techniques used to enhance fertility in humans and animals. Reproductive Technology, Assisted,Assisted Reproductive Technics,Assisted Reproductive Techniques,Assisted Reproductive Technic,Assisted Reproductive Technique,Assisted Reproductive Technologies,Assisted Reproductive Technology,Reproductive Technic, Assisted,Reproductive Technics, Assisted,Reproductive Technique, Assisted,Reproductive Technologies, Assisted,Technic, Assisted Reproductive,Technics, Assisted Reproductive,Technique, Assisted Reproductive,Techniques, Assisted Reproductive,Technologies, Assisted Reproductive,Technology, Assisted Reproductive

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