The effects of vitamin D supplementation on sexual function and sexual hormones among women with multiple sclerosis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background and aim: Sexual dysfunction is among the most common and most challenging complications of multiple sclerosis. Yet, there has been no effective therapy for its management. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on sexual function and sexual hormone among women with multiple sclerosis.Materials and method: This double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in ۲۰۱۸. The participants included ۶۲ women with multiple sclerosis and vitamin D deficiency who were successively recruited from a neurology specialty clinic in Tehran, Iran. They were randomly allocated to an intervention and a control group, and participants in these groups received two ۲۰۰۰-IU vitamin D and two placebo tablets per day for twelve consecutive weeks, respectively. Their serum sexual hormone level and sexual function were assessed both before and after the intervention. Sexual function assessment was performed using the Female Sexual Function Index. Then, the data were analyzed via the SPSS software (v. ۲۲.۰). This double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in ۲۰۱۸. Besides, this study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials.Results: The findings revealed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic information, clinical factors, and level of Vitamin D; thus, the two groups were homogeneous. The study results indicated that taking vitamin D supplementation for ۱۲ weeks have significant impacts on the improvement of sexual function and sexual hormones (P<۰.۰۵)Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation may be used to improve sexual function and sexual hormone among women with multiple sclerosis. Thus, vitamin D supplementation along with other treatments can result in improved treatment outcomes accordingly.

کلیدواژه ها:

Multiple Sclerosis ، Sexual Function ، Vitamin D ، Sexual Hormone ، RCT