Vitamin D consumption attenuates association between pesticide exposure and female infertility

The researchers reported a significant association of female infertility with pesticide exposure in the home is modified by the consumption of dietary vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes bone mineralization and maintains calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. Recent studies have suggested that vitamin D status may have an impact on pregnancy, fertility and birth outcomes.

Only a few epidemiological studies have shed light on the association between pesticide exposure and female infertility. However, evidence of the available data is restricted and controversial. Vitamin D supplement was considered beneficial for fertility. So, Chunxiu Wu, and colleagues aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary vitamin D consumption on the relationship between pesticide exposure at home and female infertility.

For this purpose, the researchers included 2,968 subjects from the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), 2011-2018. The daily intake of vitamin D was categorized into two groups high intake (≥ 6 µg/d) and low intake (< 6 µg/d). The relationship between vitamin D intake, pesticide exposure, and female fertility.

The study led to the following findings:

• A significant association was found between household pesticide exposure and infertility based on a fully adjusted model (OR 1.61).
• The relationship between pesticide exposure and in-fertility differed from the low vitamin D intake group (OR 3.96) and high intake group (OR 1.36) and stratified by vitamin D intake.

"A significant association of female infertility with pesticide exposure at home is modified by the consumption of dietary vitamin D," the researchers wrote. "This was the first study to demonstrate that dietary vitamin D may alter associations of human female infertility with pesticide exposure at home."

Reference:

Wu C, Xin X, Chen J. Vitamin D Intake Attenuated the Association between Pesticides Exposure and Female Infertility. Clin Lab. 2023 Sep 1;69(9). doi: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2023.230201. PMID: 37702693.