The Effects of Vitamin D on Testosterone Levels
Testosterone levels begin to decrease with age. A recent study shows that vitamin D may be effective in increasing testosterone levels.
What is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a hormone found in both men and women (and even other vertebrates). It is also known as the male hormone because there is more testosterone in men than women and the testosterone hormone plays a key role in determining the male reproductive system, muscle and bone structure.
The Relationship Between Vitamin D and Testosterone Levels
The male reproductive tract has been linked as the target tissue of vitamin D – some studies indicate that testosterone levels in men are linked to 25-hydroxy vitamin (25 hydroxy vitamin D is the non-active form of vitamin D that passes through the kidneys). On top of that, it was investigated whether vitamin D supplementation had an effect on testosterone levels. Overweight, healthy male participants in the weight loss program were studied for their testosterone levels. Some of the participants received 2,332 IU of vitamin D supplements for 1 year, while others were in the placebo group. Testosterone levels were at the lower end of the reference range in both groups of men (9.09-55.28 nmol / l in men 20-49 years old). Testosterone level increased by a great rate of 53.5 nmol / l in the group receiving vitamin D, while no change was observed in the placebo group.
Relative to baseline values, in the group receiving vitamin D supplements:
Testosterone levels were substantially from 10.7 ± 3.9 nmol / l to 13.4+ 4.7 nmol / l,
Bioactive testosterone levels from 21 ± 1.87 nmol / l to 6.25 ± 2.01 nmol / l
Free testosterone levels from 0.222 ± 0.080 nmol / l to 0.267 ± 0.087 nmol / l
It was observed that it increased.
No significant change was observed in the men in the placebo group. Research suggests that vitamin D supplements can boost testosterone levels.
