How Does Vitamin D Affect Testosterone Levels?
Everybody feels run down from time to time. Fatigue is simply a part of life that we all experience. But if you’re feeling incredibly sluggish, more tired than usual, or are unable to complete tasks you usually can, you might have lower testosterone levels.
If this is a problem you face, you want to find a solution that will benefit you without any unpleasant side effects. And you may have heard of vitamin D treatment to increase your testosterone levels.
Or maybe your energy levels are perfectly fine, but you’re looking for that extra boost of strength and energy to help you in your workouts or just help you be a better version of yourself.
Well, we want to help you out! So today, we’re going to look into vitamin D and its connections to testosterone. We want to help you find the proper treatment for you and get your T levels to where they belong.
We’re going to ask and answer some essential questions. Does vitamin D actually work for testosterone therapy? How does vitamin D affect testosterone levels? Are there any side effects? What is the proper treatment for you?
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D, or calciferol, is an essential nutrient for the body. You most likely consume it with your diet, as it is present in foods like fish, eggs, and cheese, but most of your vitamin D is produced in your skin while you’re out in the sunshine.
Calciferol is crucial to our bodies for a few reasons. First, it helps our bodies absorb calcium, making vitamin D essential for good bone health. Without vitamin D, all the calcium we eat would ultimately go to waste, and our bones would not be built up or maintained.
Vitamin D is also essential for muscle growth and glucose metabolism, as well as certain cognitive functions.
So those are the bare basics of what vitamin D is and what it does in our body. But, before we move on, let's take a second and look at testosterone to better understand the connection between the two.
Low Vitamin D
Low levels of calciferol are an incredibly common problem in the US. In fact, over 90% of Americans ingest less than the recommended daily vitamin D intake, and 7.6% of American adults are vitamin D deficient.
Having a deficiency in vitamin D can lead to weak muscles, lower mood, and decreased bone density.
The Symptoms
The primary symptom of deficient levels of vitamin D is a negative impact on bone health. Without vitamin D, your body cannot absorb calcium and build your bone cells back up.
Vitamin D helps maintain muscle health and strength, resulting in weak and brittle bones and, in some cases, bone deformities.
And finally, fatigue. Because vitamin D is used to synthesize glucose, lower vitamin D levels can mean lower energy. Glucose is a basic form of energy that our bodies absorb for fuel. If you’re unable to absorb it correctly, you may suffer from lower amounts of energy.
Who Can Be Deficient in Vitamin D?
There are several different groups of people at risk for having low levels of vitamin D. People with dark skin have higher levels of melanin, limiting UV absorption and, thus, vitamin D synthesis.
Also, suppose your living or working conditions limit sunlight consumption. In that case, you might be at risk of having low levels of vitamin D. This problem is also especially present in those who are vegan.
Because the primary dietary source of vitamin D is from non-vegan foods, it is important for vegans to get their vitamin D from another place, such as a dietary supplement.
The Effects on Male Health
But the problems with low levels of vitamin D don’t stop there. It can have a negative effect on male health, specifically testosterone levels.
Older men with lower levels of vitamin D were over twice as likely to have lower T levels than men with normal levels of vitamin D. This demonstrates a link between vitamin D and testosterone.
If you are deficient in vitamin D, it can have a negative impact on the amount of testosterone your body is producing. But before we dive into the further connections between D and T, let’s learn a little more about testosterone.
Testosterone
You probably know that testosterone is the main sexual hormone found in males. However, it is also found in smaller amounts in females. Testosterone is the hormone that plays a major role in male development during puberty.
With such an important hormone, you want to make sure your levels are balanced so that you can live a healthy life! Well, there are two types of testosterone to consider when worrying about your T levels: free testosterone and total testosterone.
Total testosterone is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a measurement of the total amount of testosterone in your body and your blood. On the other hand, free testosterone is the amount of testosterone in your body that can actually be used and absorbed.
Now, it is incredibly rare for anyone to have too much testosterone in their body. It simply doesn’t happen that often. However, low testosterone is a pretty common problem that a lot of men and women face.
What Effects Does Low Testosterone Have on Me?
Lower testosterone can rear its head in several ways. The symptoms are not going to be the same for everybody, so it’s essential to understand how your specific body functions typically to identify symptoms correctly, should they arise.
Two of the most common symptoms of lower levels of testosterone include:
- Decreased muscle mass
- Lower libido
Reduced levels of this valuable hormone can have a very noticeable and potent effect on your day-to-day life. So, if you have lower T levels, it is important to find a solution so you can get back to your normal self.
How Do I Know If My T Levels Are Low?
If you feel your sex drivee isn’t what it used to be, your time in the gym is less productive - or can’t remember the last time you felt like yourself, you may be suffering from lower testosterone, but this is probably not something you can determine for yourself.
It is important to talk to your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms. They will likely ask you about your symptoms and give you a physical exam. But they will also be able to provide you with a blood test to determine how normal your hormone levels are.
T Levels May Vary
Everybody is different, and what is considered normal testosterone levels varies from person to person. Not only that but there is debate within the scientific community about what normal T levels are.
This just means that it is all the more important to talk to your doctor if you think you have low T levels. Pretty much, it’s all in the symptoms. If your T levels are questionable and you feel some of those dreadful symptoms, you probably have low testosterone levels.
What Are The Causes?
There are a few causes of lower testosterone.
But, by far, the most common cause of decreased T is aging.
Actually, testosterone levels decrease very gradually with age. Men, you lose about 1% to 2% of their testosterone every year. That’s pretty staggering! The testicles produce less and less testosterone as we age due to decreased signals sent from the pituitary gland.
The pituitary gland is a gland in the brain that controls hormone levels of all kinds throughout the body. Also, as you age, increased levels of proteins limit the number of sexual hormones released in the body. These proteins are called sex hormone-binding globulin, or SHBG.
This decreases the amount of the active form of testosterone in your body.
All of this means that low levels are incredibly common among you older and wiser men. In fact, more than one-third of men over the age of 45 have lower T levels than what is considered normal.
Can Vitamin D Help Low T?
You might be thinking that the symptoms of low vitamin D and low testosterone resemble one another. Well, you would be right! Weak muscles and bones and a decrease in mood are symptoms of both struggles.
The science is clear: there is a link between vitamin D levels and testosterone levels.
We’ve already talked about how low vitamin D levels can contribute to lower testosterone levels at a dramatic rate. So there’s definitely a connection here.
But what is it? Can vitamin D increase testosterone levels?
Middle-aged men deficient in both vitamin D and testosterone saw that vitamin D supplements promote testosterone production. This would seem to indicate that vitamin D can, in fact, increase the levels of that valuable hormone.
Unfortunately, this seems to be where the connection stops. Men with healthy testosterone levels see no change in T levels when taking vitamin D, and women also see no change. Even if you’re deficient in vitamin D but have normal levels of testosterone, or vice versa, taking additional vitamin D doesn’t seem to affect testosterone levels.
So essentially, the answer to this question is that vitamin D can help increase testosterone levels in some instances, but it is not a definitive way of increasing T levels. So, it’s not the right choice for everybody.
I Have Low Vitamin D: What Should I Do?
If you have low levels of both vitamin D and testosterone, it may be wise to increase your vitamin D intake to promote higher levels of both. But if you just have low vitamin D and normal T levels, it’s still a wise move to get your vitamin D to normal levels.
Here are some great ways to get some extra calciferol in your system.
Diet
Your diet is one of your primary sources of vitamin D. There are two types of vitamin D that your body uses, D2 and D3.
While both forms increase vitamin D levels, D3 has been shown to be more efficient than D2. D3 can be found in fatty fish like salmon, eggs, and cheese.
Increasing your consumption of these foods can have a positive effect on your vitamin D levels.
Sun Light
Your body naturally produces D3 in your skin. All you have to do is get outside and let your skin soak up that sun. This is a great way to get some natural D3 in your system.
Supplements
Supplements are another amazing way to get your vitamin D levels to where they should be. D3 supplements are available over the counter in various concentrations.
If you’ve found your Vitamin D level is normal, but you still have lower T-levels, a high quality testosterone booster is a must. Still, a good way to start is to get a quality, all-around multivitamin that combines the benefits of vitamin D with other nutrients to help you get the most out of every pill.
This will not only help you get to your vitamin D goals, but it will help you meet some other healthy nutrient levels as well.
How Else Can You Boost Low Testosterone?
There are a few different ways to deal with low testosterone levels. Let’s take a look at each of them to better understand and determine which one is right for you.
While these methods can definitely be used to help with low T levels, they can also be used to help people with regular amounts of testosterone. Higher levels of testosterone can help your body promote higher energy, better performance, and better overall vitality.
So people who are trying to improve their workouts or just improve overall energy can benefit from getting some extra T.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
This treatment is exactly what its name would suggest. It is providing your body with the testosterone that it could not produce on its own. This replacement can come in the form of an injection, a patch, or just a simple pill. Some can be safe, but many are known to have harsh side effects.
For most people who are testosterone-deficient, this method is safe, but there can be some side effects to this treatment. If the risks concern you, you may want to try a different approach.
Supplements
Supplements are a great way to naturally promote your body’s ability to create more testosterone without all of the risks of harsh pills, patches, or injections. Supplements use plants, extracts, and other nutrients to maintain the biological systems in your body.
These testosterone-focused supplements promote increased levels of testosterone in your body, help you with lower T levels, promote your energy and muscles for workouts, or just help you feel great again.
Conclusion
So there you have it! Vitamin D can potentially help your testosterone levels if you already have lower testosterone and low vitamin D. However, many of us just don’t fall into that category.
But if you’re looking for increased testosterone, there are other solutions to explore.
So it seems that the most effective and safe way to get those T levels up so you can feel great is by taking a supplement that helps boost your free testosterone count.
Whether you have lower levels of testosterone or you’re just trying to get an extra boost of stamina, strength, and vitality, a supplement to increase your testosterone levels can promote and maintain a healthier life for you. So, go ahead and try a testosterone-boosting supplement to help boost your T levels and become a healthier you!