Vitamin D is one of the 24 essential vitamins needed for human survival. It regulates more than 1,000 bodily functions, not to mention, the vitamin D testosterone benefits are quite profound. Vitamin D occurs naturally in fish and eggs, although the best way to get it is through regular sun exposure. Vitamin D is truly a “wonder vitamin”, and most people use it because it’s proven to be heart healthy and good for the bones, but vitamin D is much much more than just a bone vitamin Update 21.2.2015: Added a few interesting studies where vitamin D and sunlight exposure were again able to increase testosterone levels. Vitamin D is actually not even a vitamin. It’s a steroid hormone, mistakenly named as a vitamin. This hormone D, regulates more than 1,000 bodily functions, including fertility, growth, hormone secretion, and sexual function. Needless to say that if your serum vitamin D levels are too low, more than 1,000 bodily functions are also somewhat impaired.
Several of these functions that vitamin D regulates are linked to the endocrine system, thus not getting adequate amounts of “the bone vitamin”, should in theory reduce testosterone levels. Vitamin D and Testosterone Levels: Recent Studies a) This study found out that vitamin D and testosterone levels were correlated. Men with sufficient vitamin D levels had significantly higher testosterone levels and lower SHBG count, than men who had insufficient amounts of the vitamin (or hormone) in their blood serum. b) This study found out that when healthy male participants take 3332 IU’s of vitamin D daily for a year, they end up having 25.2% more testosterone on average when compared to placebo. c) This study found out that older men who supplement with vitamin D, are less likely to have low testosterone levels than men who are not supplementing with the “bone vitamin”. d) In this Australian study, the researchers found out that in older men, low vitamin D status is associated with low free testosterone and increased fracture risk.
e) This study examined the already proven positive association between vitamin D and testosterone levels. They had 1362 male subjects, and the results show that vitamin D has a linear positive association with serum total and free testosterone levels. However when the amount of vitamin D in serum goes above ~80 nmol/L (pretty much optimal), the increase in testosterone plateaus. Meaning that vitamin D more than likely does increase testosterone levels, but it won’t help if you are already in the optimal range of vitamin D (which is definitely not where most men are). f) It’s actually better to get your vitamin D from sunlight exposure, at least if you believe the results of this 1939 study from Dr. Abraham Myerson, which showed that five days of UV light exposure to men’s chest area, increased total testosterone levels by ~120%. When the genitals were exposed to UV radiation for the same amount of time, the increase in testosterone skyrocketed to ~200%. g) There is also some evidence that bright light exposure signals the brain to release luteinzing hormone (LH), which triggers testicular leydig cells to produce testosterone.
So being out in the sun for that vitamin D is definitely not a bad idea. e) In few studies, it has been noted that in both; humans and animals, blood vitamin D levels are positively associated with sperm quality and motility (study, study, study). The results of vitamin D and testosterone studies tell us that: So I guess we can conclude that vitamin D is really a testosterone booster, at least the science seems to support this idea from multiple view points. What is the vitamin D testosterone dosage? Answer: The optimal amount of vitamin D in the blood serum seems to be around 50-70 ng/dl. This can be quite easily achieved when supplementing daily with a low to normal dose of high quality vitamin D3 supplement; this is my recommendation (affiliate link), through a multivitamin, or by spending few hours in the sun each day. Best if you do all three. Vitamin D is a testosterone booster, but if your vitamin D levels are already optimal (most men don’t fall into this category), then extra supplementation won’t help.
It’s also known for its ability to increase lifespan, it improves cardiovascular health, and it even maintains bone health when taken along with calcium and vitamin K2. So if you’re not already living in an overly sunny place, then supplementation with high quality vitamin D3 supplement might just be a wise decision (see recommended brand above). About Latest Posts Latest posts by Ali Kuoppala (see all) Bulbine Natalensis and Testosterone: May Raise T-Levels but has Similar Toxicity Side Effects as Many Oral PEDs Holy Basil and Testosterone: Tulsi is Praised as a T-Booster, but How Effective is it Really? Reishi and Testosterone: The Potent Antiandrogenic Effects of Ganoderma Lucidum MushroomResearchers in Germany have conducted a randomized placebo-controlled study of vitamin D3 supplementation in overweight people who took part in a structured weight loss program for 12 months. They found that daily vitamin D3 at a dose of 3,333 IU did not affect weight loss. However, small but significant decreases in levels of triglycerides and the cytokine TNF-alpha occurred in the blood of people who received vitamin D3.
Also, a small (+5%) but statistically significant increase in levels of bad cholesterol (LDL-C) occurred among vitamin D3 recipients. Unexpectedly, a small but statistically significant increase in testosterone levels was detected in men who received vitamin D3. Two hundred HIV-negative overweight and otherwise healthy people were recruited for the weight loss study. As part of the program, participants were educated about nutrition and healthy eating habits and received weekly counselling via telephone with a nutritionist for the first six months of the study. Half of the participants received vitamin D3 at a dose of 3,333 IU/day for 12 consecutive months, while the other half received placebo. Among a subset of 54 men—31 received vitamin D and 23 received placebo—extensive laboratory assessments of testosterone were performed. This report focuses on the 54 men. The average age of the men was 48 years and half of them smoked tobacco. Vitamin D levels prior to randomization were suggestive of deficiency, about 30 nmol/litre.
The men lost an average of 6 kg over the course of a year. The men who received vitamin D had their levels rise to 86 nmol/litre. Before we can present further results on testosterone, some background information is necessary. In adult males, most testosterone (95%) is made by the testicles—between 3 mg and 10 mg each day. The adrenal glands produce the remaining amount of this hormone. In the blood, most testosterone is bound to two proteins: In theory, only testosterone that has broken loose or becomes free from those previously mentioned proteins is available for use by tissues. This unbound testosterone is called “free testosterone” in laboratory tests. Analysis of blood tests sometimes report testosterone assessments as follows: total testosterone – this includes testosterone bound to blood proteins and free testosterone free testosterone – this can be directly measured or calculated using total testosterone levels, SHBG and albumin concentration and equations
bioavailable testosterone – this refers to free testosterone plus testosterone loosely bound to albumin Different laboratories have different reference ranges for testosterone, and levels of this hormone tend to fall with age. Note that testosterone levels often fall in cases of chronic infections such as HIV and inflammatory conditions such as cancer, severe kidney and lung disease. Also, some drugs and substances can decrease testosterone levels, including the following: chronic, excessive use of alcohol Results—Testosterone and vitamin D In different assessments, participants who received vitamin D had relatively small but statistically significant increases in testosterone compared to placebo. For instance, total testosterone levels rose by 3 nmol/litre to 13.4 nmol/litre after 12 months. A similar trend occurred with bioavailable testosterone and free testosterone. Why did an increase occur? There are several pieces of evidence to suggest that vitamin D may have played a role in the increased testosterone levels detected in this study.
Such evidence is important to consider because the primary purpose of the study was to assess weight loss and not to assess changes in testosterone. Moreover, the numbers of men in the substudy were relatively small. Here is some evidence that may support the vitamin D findings of this study: In experiments on mice, those that do not have receptors for vitamin D suffer from less-than-normal levels of testosterone. The testicles have receptors for vitamin D, suggesting that this vitamin plays some role there. A previous cross-sectional study in people found a link between vitamin D levels in the blood and testosterone levels in the blood. Taken together, these previous bits of research along with the present German study suggest that vitamin D may modestly alter testosterone levels in males. Because of the previously mentioned issues, the present study’s results cannot be taken as definitive, only suggestive. Also, because researchers did not assess factors influenced by testosterone, such as sex drive, mood or muscle strength, the clinical significance of these changes in testosterone levels is not clear.