Effect of vitamins on sexual function: A systematic review

Abstract

Abstract. Sexual dysfunction can adversely affect the quality of life, self-confidence, and interpersonal relationships. Some studies reported a relationship between vitamin supplementation and sexual health. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamins on female and male sexual function. All relevant English and Persian articles published in English databases (Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Sciences, Psycho-Info, and Proquest) and Farsi databases (SID and Magiran) until July 2020 were searched. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was used for assessing the risks of bias. A total of 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on 337 women, 472 men, and 35 couples were included. One study reported that vitamin D 300000 IU supplement administrated twice through intramuscular injection (at the beginning and after four weeks) had a significant effect on female sexual function (p<0.05), whereas another study showed that vitamin D 2000 IU supplement for six months did not have any significant effect on female sexual function (p>0.05). A study reported the significant effect of niacin (vitamin B3) 1500 mg daily for 12 weeks on erectile function (p=0.004). The results showed that vitamins A, C, and E had no significant effect on male and female sexual function. The conduction of trials with long-term interventions is recommended to reach a more definitive conclusion about the effect of vitamins on sexual function.