So you’re trying to get pregnant—and you’re having difficulty. Could a Vitamin D deficiency be to blame?

A new study out of the European Society of Endocrinology suggests that it could. Researchers have found that low levels of vitamin D may have effects on testosterone, as well as the Fertility of both sexes.

Vitamin D is a hormone produced by the body through exposure to sunshine or through diet. Previous studies have linked vitamin D levels with a range of health problems including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Dr. Elisabeth Lerchbaum, a researcher from the Medical University of Graz, has extensively studied the effects of vitamin D supplementation in different aspects of fertility. Her recent work suggests that vitamin D affects many aspects of fertility, including the production and maturation of sperm cells, egg cell and uterine lining maturation, and Sex Hormone Production.

Moreover, vitamin D levels have been associated with in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) outcome, some features of PCOS, and endometriosis in women. In men, levels of vitamin D have been linked to semen quality and male hormone levels.

“High quality randomised controlled trials are needed to evaluate how vitamin D supplementation affects fertility and sex hormone production in men and women. There is also an ongoing debate about what the optimal dose of vitamin D levels and supplementation should be.” says Dr Lechbaum. “Looking at the metabolism of vitamin D could open up new treatment methods. Vitamin D supplementation might be a safe and affordable treatment option in PCOS or might support couples who want to have children.

A second, large-scale study will be completed later this year. Until then, speak to your naturopath about the potential applications of vitamin D.