VITAMIN D IN ENDOMETRIOSIS: MECHANISMS AND CLINICAL POTENTIAL – A LITERATURE REVIEW

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting approximately 10% of women of reproductive age. Recent studies have highlighted vitamin D as a potential immunomodulator influencing disease progression. This review aims to synthesize current evidence regarding the mechanistic links between vitamin D and endometriosis, the correlation of serum 25(OH)D levels with disease severity, and the clinical efficacy of supplementation.

A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and the Cochrane Library. The analysis included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, and molecular research published within the last eight years. A qualitative narrative synthesis was performed to categorize findings into mechanistic, observational, and interventional themes. Key Findings: Molecular studies demonstrate that vitamin D inhibits endometriotic cell proliferation, inflammation, and angiogenesis by targeting the NF-κB and VEGF pathways. Observational data generally indicate lower serum 25(OH)D levels in women with advanced endometriosis compared to healthy controls. However, clinical supplementation trials yield heterogeneous results; while some RCTs report significant reductions in pelvic pain and inflammatory markers (hs-CRP), others find no statistical superiority over placebo, potentially due to variations in dosage and baseline vitamin D status.

Vitamin D serves as a biologically plausible adjunctive therapy for endometriosis. While not a definitive cure, its safety and anti-inflammatory properties justify its use in managing deficiency. Future research should prioritize personalized supplementation protocols considering genetic polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor.

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(2021). Vitamin D significance in pathogenesis of endometriosis. Gynecological Endocrinology, 37(sup1), 40–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/09513590.2021.2006516 Downloads Published Issue Section License Copyright (c) 2026 Julia Kurcińska, Szymon Kurciński, Martyna Kudła, Gabriela Zając, Paweł Czechowicz, Justyna Czechowicz, Mikołaj Antkiewicz, Aleksandra Arczyńska-Antkiewicz, Maria Drozd, Paulina Łobaza, Agata Krawczyk, Natalia Pawełczak, Dorota Kołkowicz, Julia Kociuba, Zuzanna Kruczek This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. All articles are published in open-access and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Hence, authors retain copyright to the content of the articles. CC BY 4.0 License allows content to be copied, adapted, displayed, distributed, re-published or otherwise re-used for any purpose including for adaptation and commercial use provided the content is attributed.