ESPE Abstracts

Objective: Most recent evidence from conducted in human and animal studies suggests that vitamin D has a potential role in the physiology of reproductive function in both genders. We investigate the role of vitamin D in male and female gonadal function at mini-puberty period with particular emphasis on production of sex steroids and gonadal peptide hormones. Additionaly, this study evaluated serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), total testosteron (TT), anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), and inhibin B in a large prospective cohort of infant at mini-puberty period.

Subjects and Methods: We analyzed data from a prospective cohort of a 180 (94 boys and 86 girls) unselected, healthy infants aged 30 to 45 days. Nonfasting peripheral venous blood samples were taken between 0800 and 1000 h. Serum LH, FSH, E2, TT, AMH, inhibin B and 25-OH Vitamin D levels were measured.

Results: All the boys and girls were divided into three groups including vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/ml), vitamin D insufficiency (10–20 ng/ml), and vitamin D sufficiency (>20 ng/ml). Among the groups no statistically significant difference was found between the age, birth weight, current weight and height (P>0.05). Their average age was 39.75±3.79 days. The findings from all subjects that, out of 180 infants, 29 (16.1%) had vitamin D deficiency, 59 (32.7%) had vitamin D insufficiency, 92 (51.1%) had a sufficient level. In boys, no significant correlation was found between Vitamin D levels and gonadal hormones in three groups. In girls, no significant correlation was found between Vitamin D level and LH, FSH, E2, and AMH in three groups. But there was a statisticaly significant difference between the testosterone levels of the three groups (P=0.007). >20 ng/ml vitamin D group showed a significantly low total testosteron levels compared to <10 ng/ml and 10–20 ng/ml vitamin D groups (P=0.003, P=0.025). Moreover, there was a statisticaly significant difference between inhibin B levels of the three groups (P=0.021). <10 ng/ml vitamin D group showed a significantly low inhibin B levels compared to 10–20 ng/ml and >20 ng/ml vitamin D groups (P=0.012, P=0.02).

Conclusion: More studies are needed to confirm a direct cause-and-effect relationship between vitamin D and gonadal function and to evaluate the potential therapeutic benefits of vitamin D supplementation on reproductive outcomes.