Many people have vitamin D deficiency (levels below 20 ng/ml), and this problem is even more common in the African American population. Vitamin D is not only good for bones: it acts on more than 1,000 genes and participates in many processes in the body.
In addition to helping maintain strong bones, vitamin D also influences:
– Inflammation
– The immune system
– Glucose metabolism
– Oxidative stress
Therefore, having good levels is associated with a lower risk of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
And what about fertility?
In men, adequate vitamin D levels are associated with:
– Better semen quality
– Increased sperm motility and improved sperm shape
– Increased sperm survival
– Improved fertilisation rates
In women, especially those with polycystic ovaries:
– Helps regulate menstrual cycles
– Improves insulin resistance
– Promotes ovulation
– Associated with a higher likelihood of having a healthy baby.
A recent meta-analysis showed that women with good vitamin D levels are more likely to have a positive pregnancy test and achieve a clinical pregnancy than those with a deficiency.
Interestingly, this benefit does not seem to be due so much to improving the egg, but rather to the endometrium (the “terrain” where the embryo implants). Vitamin D helps prepare the uterus for implantation by reducing inflammation and the risk of rejection.
In addition, a study in Sweden involving more than 2,000 women found that those with low vitamin D levels had:
– More miscarriages
– More neonatal complications
And that vitamin D supplementation reduced these risks.
Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is important for fertility and for reducing the risk of miscarriages and complications during pregnancy. A deficiency is not a minor issue, and correcting it can make a big difference.
