Efficacy and role of vitamin D (25-OH-D serum) in the treatment of endometriosis: A systematic review

HIGHLIGHTS A frequent gynecological condition that affects 10–15% of women who are fertile is endometriosis, often leading to pelvic damage and infertility, and has been suggested to be treated with vitamin D due to its role in the immune system and reproductive health. Vitamin D may help regulate inflammatory responses and reduce the risk of hyperplasia and cancer, with some studies suggesting it could also influence infertility associated with endometriosis. ABSTRACT Objective: A vital component of women's reproductive health, vitamin D has also demonstrated promise in the treatment of endometriosis by enhancing plasma levels and controlling immunological responses in chronic inflammation, including endometriosis. This study sought to shed light on the critical role that vitamin D plays in treating chronic pain and infertility related to endometriosis, as well as to offer fresh perspectives on the therapeutic application of vitamin D in reproductive medicine. Materials and Methods: This systematic review analyzed literature from PubMed, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar, screening 1,156 articles and selecting 20 studies for qualitative synthesis. The focus was on the therapeutic role of vitamin D in treating endometriosis. Inclusion criteria included studies published in the last ten years, in English, involving non-pregnant, healthy women, particularly those with chronic pelvic pain or infertility. Accepted study designs included experimental, cohort, longitudinal, case reports, pilot, and observational studies. Exclusion criteria included non-English publications, animal or pregnant subjects, reviews, inaccessible full texts, and studies lacking relevant on vitamin D or endometriosis. Results: Twenty eligible studies were selected, involving 5346 women and 60 girls aged 12-50 years with or without endometriosis from Iran, the USA, South Korea, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, Poland, Italy, Germany, and Japan. These studies found that many treatments were tried or done to be able to say that endometriosis can be cured in part by vitamin D. Conclusion: This systematic review demonstrates that women with endometriosis had reduced vitamin D levels, but evidence on supplementation benefits remains inconclusive. Larger, well-designed trials are needed to confirm vitamin D’s role in endometriosis treatment.