Vitamin D and erectile dysfunction

Introduction: Endothelial dysfunction has been demonstrated to play an important role in pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction (ED) and vitamin D deficiency is deemed to promote endothelial dysfunctions. Aim: To evaluate the status of serum vitamin D in a group of patients with ED. Methods: Diagnosis and severity of ED was based on the IIEF-5 and its aetiology was classified as arteriogenic (A-ED), borderline (BL-ED), and non-arteriogenic (NA-ED) with penile-echo-color-Doppler in basal condition and after intracaversous injection of prostaglandin E1. Serum vitamin D and intact PTH concentrations were measured. Main Outcome Measures: Vitamin D levels of men with A-ED were compared with those of male with BL-ED and NA-ED. Results: Fifty patients were classified as A-ED, 28 as ED-BL and 65 as NA-ED, for a total of 143 cases. Mean vitamin D level was 21.3ng/mL; vitamin D deficiency (<20ng/mL) was present in 45.9% and only 20.2% had optimal vitamin D levels. Patients with severe/complete-ED had vitamin D level significantly lower (P=0.02) than those with mild-ED. Vitamin level was negatively correlated with PTH and the correlation was more marked in subjects with vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency in A-ED was significantly lower (P=0.01) than in NA-ED patients. Penile-echo-color-Doppler revealed that A-ED (PSV≤25cm/second) was more frequent in those with vitamin D deficiency as compared with those with vitamin >20ng/dL (45% vs. 24%; P<0.05) and in the same population median PSV values were lower (26 vs. 38; P<0.001) in vitamin D subjects. Conclusion: Our study shows that a significant proportion of ED patients have a vitamin D deficiency and that this condition is more frequent in patients with the arteriogenic etiology. Low levels of vitamin D might increase the ED risk by promoting endothelial dysfunction. Men with ED should be analyzed for vitamin D levels and particularly to A-ED patients with a low level a vitamin D supplementation is suggested.