Reproductive endocrinology of vitamin D

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reproductive endocrinology of vitamin D

AU - Lorenzen, Mette

AU - Boisen, Ida Marie

AU - Mortensen, Li Juel

AU - Lanske, Beate

AU - Juul, Anders

AU - Blomberg Jensen, Martin

N1 - Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PY - 2017/9/15

Y1 - 2017/9/15

N2 - Vitamin D is a versatile hormone with several functions beyond its well-established role in maintenance of skeletal health and calcium homeostasis. The effects of vitamin D are mediated by the vitamin D receptor, which is expressed together with the vitamin D metabolizing enzymes in the reproductive tissues. The reproductive organs are therefore responsive to and able to metabolize vitamin D locally. The exact role remains to be clarified but several studies have suggested a link between vitamin D and production/release of reproductive hormones into circulation, which will be the main focus of this review. Current evidence is primarily based on small human association studies and rodent models. This highlights the need for randomized clinical trials, but also functional animal and human in vitro studies, and larger, prospective cohort studies are warranted. Given the high number of men and women suffering from reproductive problems and abnormal endocrinology research addressing the role of vitamin D in reproductive endocrinology may be of clinical importance.

AB - Vitamin D is a versatile hormone with several functions beyond its well-established role in maintenance of skeletal health and calcium homeostasis. The effects of vitamin D are mediated by the vitamin D receptor, which is expressed together with the vitamin D metabolizing enzymes in the reproductive tissues. The reproductive organs are therefore responsive to and able to metabolize vitamin D locally. The exact role remains to be clarified but several studies have suggested a link between vitamin D and production/release of reproductive hormones into circulation, which will be the main focus of this review. Current evidence is primarily based on small human association studies and rodent models. This highlights the need for randomized clinical trials, but also functional animal and human in vitro studies, and larger, prospective cohort studies are warranted. Given the high number of men and women suffering from reproductive problems and abnormal endocrinology research addressing the role of vitamin D in reproductive endocrinology may be of clinical importance.

U2 - 10.1016/j.mce.2017.03.023

DO - 10.1016/j.mce.2017.03.023

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28342856

SN - 0303-7207

VL - 453

SP - 103

EP - 112

JO - Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology

JF - Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology

ER -