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Review
. 2025 Aug 22:7:1594664.
doi: 10.3389/frph.2025.1594664. eCollection 2025.

Vitamin D in male sexual functions: unwrapping the sunshine hormone activities in erectile function and beyond

Adeyemi Fatai Odetayo  1 , Grace Edet Bassey  2 , Grace Ayobami Fajemidagba  3 , Kazeem Bidemi Okesina  4 , Moses Agbomhere Hamed  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Vitamin D in male sexual functions: unwrapping the sunshine hormone activities in erectile function and beyond

Adeyemi Fatai Odetayo et al. Front Reprod Health. .

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D, sometimes referred to as the "sunshine vitamin", is well-known for its role in maintaining bone health processes that are highly dependent on calcium regulation. However, there is an emerging wealth of evidence that this fat-soluble vitamin has an important role in male sexual health regarding erectile function, production of testosterone, and overall fertility. Due to the increased vitamin D deficiency rates in most populations, the implications of its deficiency on male sexual functions have gained great interest.

Materials and methods: This review, therefore, sums up recent publications that detail the association of vitamin D with male sexual functions regarding its potential roles in erectile function regulation, testosterone levels, and semen characteristics.

Results: Vitamin D contributed positively to sexual and erectile functions. These were mediated via hormone-dependent mechanisms through its inhibitory role on prolactin and steroidogenic activities. It also improves endothelial functions by stimulating the secretion and release of nitric oxide, which is important for erection. Furthermore, it acts by mediating the activities of monoamine neurotransmitters, which are responsible for the motor activities involved in sexual function.

Conclusion: Vitamin D acts via multiple mechanisms to enhance sexual and erectile functions.

Keywords: antioxidant; endothelial function; erectile dysfunction; penile erection; sexual dysfunction; vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

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Graphical abstract
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