Nonsignificant relation of seminal and serum vitamin D levels and semen parameters of males in Upper Egypt

• Published in: Egyptian journal of dermatology and venereology 2022-01, Vol.42 (1), p.27-33
• Main Authors: Kamal, Emad, Bakry, Rania, Danyail, Mary, Badran, Aya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alfacalcidol; Calcifediol; Physiological aspects; Vitamin D
• ISSN: 1110-6530; 2314-7407
• DOI: 10.4103/ejdv.ejdv_56_20

Introduction Since the discovery of vitamin D (Vit. D) in 1922, a plethora of researches has been conducted on it describing its role in many physiological and pathological processes. Aim This research targeted to assess both seminal and serum Vit. D levels in Egyptian males and to establish the relation between both serum and seminal Vit. D and the age, residence, education, marital and fertility states, and semen parameters of men in our community. Patients and methods A prospective cross-sectional hospital-based study targeted men who attended the andrology clinic during the period from the beginning of May 2019 to the end of August 2019 with various complaints. All participants were subjected to conventional semen analysis using the WHO 2010 as a reference. Both serum and seminal Vit. D levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Results The study included 100 male participants. Their age ranged from 20.0 to 50.0 years, with a mean±SD of 34.97±8.37 years. Most of them were from rural areas of Upper Egypt (60 vs. 40% from urban areas). The participants were classified into groups according to semen analysis using the WHO 2010 criteria. Serum Vit. D deficiency, insufficiency, and normal levels were observed in 4, 25, and 71% of participants, respectively. Seminal Vit. D sufficiency and insufficiency were reported in 83 and 17%, respectively. Both serum and seminal Vit. D levels had nonsignificant correlations between their levels and all semen parameters. Conclusion As most Egyptian men are subjected to sunny climate of our country, the prevalence of Vit. D deficiency is low in both serum and seminal fluid. The results of the current study did not support any evidence for the role of Vit. D in semen parameters or male fertility status.