Efficacy and role of vitamin D (25-OH-D serum) in the treatment of endometriosis: A systematic review
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This systematic review of 20 studies indicates that women with endometriosis exhibit reduced vitamin D levels, although current evidence regarding the therapeutic benefits of supplementation for treating the condition remains inconclusive.
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This systematic review analyzed twenty studies involving over five thousand women to evaluate the therapeutic potential of vitamin D in managing endometriosis. The authors found that while patients with endometriosis frequently exhibit lower serum vitamin D levels, the evidence supporting supplementation as an effective treatment for pain or infertility remains inconclusive. The paper explicitly notes that current data are insufficient to establish a definitive clinical role for vitamin D, calling for larger, rigorously designed trials to verify its efficacy. This paper is centrally about endometriosis, specifically investigating the association between vitamin D deficiency and the condition's symptoms and progression.
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Abstract
HIGHLIGHTS A frequent gynecological condition that affects 10–15% of women who are fertile is endometriosis, often leading to pelvic damage and infertility, and has been suggested to be treated with vitamin D due to its role in the immune system and reproductive health. Vitamin D may help regulate inflammatory responses and reduce the risk of hyperplasia and cancer, with some studies suggesting it could also influence infertility associated with endometriosis. ABSTRACT Objective: A vital component of women's reproductive health, vitamin D has also demonstrated promise in the treatment of endometriosis by enhancing plasma levels and controlling immunological responses in chronic inflammation, including endometriosis. This study sought to shed light on the critical role that vitamin D plays in treating chronic pain and infertility related to endometriosis, as well as to offer fresh perspectives on the therapeutic application of vitamin D in reproductive medicine. Materials and Methods: This systematic review analyzed literature from PubMed, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar, screening 1,156 articles and selecting 20 studies for qualitative synthesis. The focus was on the therapeutic role of vitamin D in treating endometriosis. Inclusion criteria included studies published in the last ten years, in English, involving non-pregnant, healthy women, particularly those with chronic pelvic pain or infertility. Accepted study designs included experimental, cohort, longitudinal, case reports, pilot, and observational studies. Exclusion criteria included non-English publications, animal or pregnant subjects, reviews, inaccessible full texts, and studies lacking relevant on vitamin D or endometriosis. Results: Twenty eligible studies were selected, involving 5346 women and 60 girls aged 12-50 years with or without endometriosis from Iran, the USA, South Korea, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, Poland, Italy, Germany, and Japan. These studies found that many treatments were tried or done to be able to say that endometriosis can be cured in part by vitamin D. Conclusion: This systematic review demonstrates that women with endometriosis had reduced vitamin D levels, but evidence on supplementation benefits remains inconclusive. Larger, well-designed trials are needed to confirm vitamin D’s role in endometriosis treatment.
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Abstract
Objective: Vitamin D, an essential element in women’s reproductive health, has shown potential benefits in endometriosis management by improving plasma concentrations and modulating immune responses in chronic inflammatory conditions, including endometriosis. This study aimed to elucidate the pivotal role of vitamin D in alleviating chronic pain and infertility associated with endometriosis and to provide new insights into its therapeutic application in reproductive medicine.
Materials and methods
This systematic review examined literature retrieved from PubMed, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar, screening 1,156 records and including 20 studies for qualitative assessment. The review focused on the therapeutic contribution of vitamin D in endometriosis management. Eligible studies were those published in the last decade, in English, involving non-pregnant, healthy women, particularly patients with chronic pelvic pain or infertility. Accepted study designs comprised experimental, cohort, longitudinal, case reports, pilot, and observational studies. Excluded were non-English articles, animal or pregnant populations, reviews, inaccessible full texts, and studies lacking relevance to vitamin D or endometriosis.
Results
Twenty selected studies were analyzed, encompassing 5,346 women and 60 girls aged 12–50 years, with or without endometriosis, from Iran, the USA, South Korea, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, Poland, Italy, Germany, and Japan. These studies indicated that multiple therapeutic approaches were attempted, suggesting that endometriosis may be partially ameliorated by vitamin D administration.
Conclusion
This systematic review highlights that women with endometriosis presented with lower vitamin D levels; however, the evidence regarding supplementation efficacy remains uncertain. Further large-scale, rigorously designed trials are necessary to establish vitamin D’s therapeutic role in the management of endometriosis.
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