Is Vitamin D Deficiency Associated with Erectile Dysfunction?

Several studies have identified an increased incidence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED), along with an improved response to phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) following vitamin D supplementation. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain unclear. To investigate this further, a study has examined the association between vitamin D deficiency and ED using corpora cavernosa (CC) from 12 human donors, vitamin D-deficient rats, and vitamin D receptor knockout (VDR K/O) mice.

The study found that CCs from donors with low plasma vitamin D levels showed impaired nitric oxide-dependent erectile function. ED was also confirmed in vitamin D-deficient rats and VDR K/O mice, accompanied by a diminished response to the PDE5i sildenafil. Additionally, elevated superoxide levels and downregulation of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI)…