Associations of vitamin D status and vitamin D-related polymorphisms with sex hormones in older men
The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Volume 164, November 2016, Pages 11–17 R. Rafiq
Highlights
• Vitamin D might influence sex hormone and gonadotropin levels.
• We studied relationships between 25(OH)D, gene polymorphisms and sex hormone levels.
• Lower vitamin D status is associated with lower testosterone levels.
• There was no association between gene polymorphisms and sex hormone levels.
Evidence regarding relationships of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) with sex hormones and gonadotropin concentrations remains inconsistent. Polymorphisms in vitamin D-related genes may underly these relationships. Our aim was to examine the relationship of vitamin D status and polymorphisms in vitamin D-related genes with sex hormone and gonadotropin levels.
Design and measurements
We analysed data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, an ongoing population-based cohort study of older Dutch individuals (65–89 years). We included data of men with measurements of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) (n = 643) and determination of vitamin D-related gene polymorphisms (n = 459). 25(OH)D concentrations were classified into four categories: <25, 25–50, 50–75 and >75 nmol/L. Outcome measures were total testosterone, calculated bioavailable and free fraction testosterone, SHBG, estradiol, LH and FSH concentrations. Hypogonadism was defined as a total testosterone level <8.0 nmol/L.
Results
Serum 25(OH)D was positively associated with total and bioavailable testosterone levels. After adjustments for confounders, men with serum 25(OH)D less than 25 (n = 56), 25–50 (n = 199) and 50–75 nmol/L (n = 240) had lower total testosterone levels compared to men with serum 25(OH)D higher than 75 nmol/L (n = 148) (β (95% confidence interval): −2.1 (−3.7 to −0.4 nmol/L), −0.8 (−1.9 to 0.4 nmol/L) and −1.4 (−2.4 to −0.3 nmol/L), respectively). For bioavailable testosterone the association was significant only for men with serum 25(OH)D less than 25 nmol/L (−0.8 (−1.4 to −0.1 nmol/L)) compared to men with serum 25(OH)D >75 nmol/L. Serum 25(OH)D was not related to SHBG, estradiol or gonadotropin levels. Hypogonadism (n = 29) was not associated with lower serum 25(OH)D. No significant differences were found in hormone levels between the different genotypes of the vitamin D-related gene polymorphisms. Also, the polymorphisms did not modify the relationships of serum 25(OH)D with sex hormones or gonadotropins.
Conclusion
Vitamin D status is positively associated with testosterone levels. No association was found between vitamin D-related gene polymorphisms and hormone levels.