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. 2022 Apr;40(2):308-315.
doi: 10.5534/wjmh.200156. Epub 2021 Jun 9.

Seasonal Variations in Sex Steroids in a Young Male Population and Their Relationship with Plasma Levels of Vitamin D

Pablo René Costanzo  1 , Sebastián Matías Suárez  2 , Andrea Elina Kozak  2 , Pablo Knoblovits  2
Affiliations

Seasonal Variations in Sex Steroids in a Young Male Population and Their Relationship with Plasma Levels of Vitamin D

Pablo René Costanzo et al. World J Mens Health. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: Vitamin D (VD) acts on sperm motility, capacitation and survival but its role in steroidogenesis is less clear. Aims: To analyze seasonal variations in sex steroids and VD in a healthy male population.

Materials and methods: Twenty-nine healthy males, 34.0±4.8 years were included. Blood collection in winter (W) and summer (S) was performed to measure: 25OHD, total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Testosterone/estradiol (T/E2) ratio was calculated.

Results: In W, lower levels of 25OHD: 18.8±7.2 ng/mL vs. 38.8±11.9 ng/mL (p<0.0001) and LH: 3.5±1.2 mU/mL vs. 3.9±1.5 mU/mL (p=0.05), and higher levels of TT: 501.9±157.7 ng/dL vs. 405.0±128.0 ng/dL (p=0.0003), FT: 11.8±4.1 ng/dL vs. 10.2±3.7 ng/dL (p=0.017), SHBG: 28.5±10.9 nmol/L vs. 23.6±7.9 nmol/L (p=0.002) and T/E2 ratio: 30.7±19.7 ng/dL/pg/mL vs. 17.3±3.6 ng/dL/pg/mL (p=0.0015) with no variation in E2 levels were observed. A positive correlation between 25OHD and E2 (r=0.28, p=0.04) and negative correlations between 25OHD and TT (r=-0.27, p=0.049), 25OHD and FT (r=-0.32, p=0.01), and 25OHD and T/E2 (r=-0.44, p=0.0008) were found.

Conclusions: In healthy young male population, seasonal variations were observed in 25OHD and LH levels (higher in S) and in TT, FT, SHBG levels, and T/E2 (higher in W). Lower values of TT and FT in S are accompanied by higher levels of LH, which rules out a central mechanism for lowering testosterone. 25OHD negatively correlated with TT, FT, and T/E2 and positively correlated with E2, suggesting a relationship between VD status and changes in gonadal steroids.

Keywords: Seasonal variations; Sex hormones; Testosterone; Vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Percentage change of estradiol (E2) between summer and winter.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Percentage change of total testosterone (TT) between summer and winter.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and total testosterone (TT) (r=−0.27, p=0.049).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and free testosterone (r=−0.32, p=0.01).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5. Correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and testosterone/estradiol (T/E2) ratio (r=−0.44, p=0.0008).
Fig. 6
Fig. 6. Correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and estradiol (E2) (r=0.28, p=0.04).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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