Vitamin D may improve male fertility

Men with high vitamin D blood levels have a higher sperm motility compared with vitamin D deficient men, according to a new Danish study.

The study explored the correlation between sperm motility and serum vitamin D levels in 300 healthy men (1). The results showed that men with high vitamin D levels, up to 75 nmol/l, had a significantly higher sperm motility compared with men deficient in vitamin D, i.e. levels below 25 nmol/l.

The researchers commented that these findings are not sufficient to determine whether vitamin D supplements may improve sperm quality in normal or infertile males. This study is only one in a series of studies to determine if vitamin D is necessary for male reproduction. More research is needed to identify relevant factors and conduct placebo-controlled trials to clarify whether vitamin D supplements could be beneficial for infertile men.

Several studies have indicated positive associations between various treatments such as antioxidants, zinc, various vitamins and semen quality. However, there is currently no known medical treatment proved to improve semen quality in randomized controlled trials.

1. Blomberg Jensen M. et al., Vitamin D is positively associated with sperm motility and increases intracellular calcium in human spermatozoa. Oxford Journal of Human Reproduction. 2011.