(P11-051-23) Vitamin B12 Is Associated With Higher Serum Total Testosterone Concentrations and Improved Androgenic Profile Among Infertile Males

Objectives: Infertility impacts 16% of North American couples, with male factor infertility contributing to ~35% of cases. Reproductive hormones are fundamental for reproductive system regulation. Most notably, testosterone is essential for spermatogenesis. Previous research has shown a significant age-independent population-level decline in testosterone concentrations, which has been attributed to possible changes in diet. Vitamin B₁₂, an essential water-soluble vitamin important for several physiological functions, is present in the testes and has been suggested as an adjuvant nutritional therapy for male infertility due to its potential to improve sperm parameters and reduce oxidative stress via its role in homocysteine’s remethylation cycle. However, evidence examining the relationship between vitamin B₁₂ and reproductive hormones is limited. The objective was to determine the relationship between serum vitamin B₁₂ and male reproductive hormones (luteinizing hormone, follicular stimulating hormone, total testosterone, estradiol and prolactin) among infertile males (n = 304) recruited from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada.

Methods: Statistical analyses included, non-parametric Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, linear regression, logistic regression and effect modification by age and BMI linear regression.

Results: A statistically significant independent monotonic relationship between serum vitamin B₁₂ and total testosterone (p = 0.001) was found. In the linear regression analyses, serum vitamin B₁₂ was associated with total testosterone in unadjusted (p = 0.008) and adjusted (p = 0.04) models. Logistic regression analyses found that compared to participants in the lowest tertile of serum vitamin B₁₂, those in the highest tertile had lower odds of testosterone deficiency (OR: 0.47, 95% CI [0.24, 0.92], p = 0.03). No other statistically significant associations were observed.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that among infertile males, serum vitamin B₁₂ is associated with higher total testosterone concentrations and improved androgenic hormonal profiles that impact spermatogenesis and consequently, fertility.

Funding Sources: Funded by the Allen Foundation and Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research