Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Testosterone Levels in Men

[THEHUGE]

Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Testosterone Levels in Men.
Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, Kuhn J, Dreier J, Obermayer-Pietsch B, Wehr E, Zittermann A.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Graz, Austria.

Abstract
The male reproductive tract has been identified as a target tissue for vitamin D, and previous data suggest an association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] with testosterone levels in men. We therefore aimed to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation influences testosterone levels in men. Healthy overweight men undergoing a weight reduction program who participated in a randomized controlled trial were analyzed for testosterone levels. The entire study included 200 nondiabetic subjects, of whom 165 participants (54 men) completed the trial. Participants received either 83 μg (3 332 IU) vitamin D daily for 1 year (n=31) or placebo (n=23). Initial 25(OH)D concentrations were in the deficiency range (<50 nmol/l) and testosterone values were at the lower end of the reference range (9.09-55.28 nmol/l for males aged 20-49 years) in both groups. Mean circulating 25(OH)D concentrations increased significantly by 53.5 nmol/l in the vitamin D group, but remained almost constant in the placebo group. Compared to baseline values, a significant increase in total testosterone levels (from 10.7±3.9 nmol/l to 13.4±4.7 nmol/l; p<0.001), bioactive testosterone (from 5.21±1.87 nmol/l to 6.25±2.01 nmol/l; p=0.001), and free testosterone levels (from 0.222±0.080 nmol/l to 0.267±0.087 nmol/l; p=0.001) were observed in the vitamin D supplemented group. By contrast, there was no significant change in any testosterone measure in the placebo group. Our results suggest that vitamin D supplementation might increase testosterone levels. Further randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm this hypothesis.

[ahheck01]

Thanks! Repped!

[Drop_Dead]

i just made an order on monday which included 2 bottles of 240 caps (2000IU) of now's vitamin D. i was planning on taking 2 or 3 caps a day on top of the full dose of orange triad

interesting.

[DR_P]

i just made an order on monday which included 2 bottles of 240 caps (2000IU) of now's vitamin D. i was planning on taking 2 or 3 caps a day on top of the full dose of orange triad

interesting.

Are you deficient in Vit D? Because the only thing that this study says is that if you are deficient in Vit D and normalize your Vit D levels using supplements, your test levels will go up as well.

[Drop_Dead]

I'm not a 100% sure to be honest.

I have some of the symptoms, I figure I will try the supplement out and see if I notice any difference.


Also, correct me if I'm wrong but aren't there many more benefits to taking vitamin D than just an increase in testosterone (if you are deficient) ? I never said the reason I ordered vitamin d was to increase my test. not to mention I made my order before I ever saw that study.

[Marcus8880]

This study is legit, and theres others out there that I've reviewed. I personally take about 6000 ui of D3 a day and it's changed my life back to a youthful feel good 24/7 life. My inflammatory bowel disease is gone, my headaches gone, bad skin gone, feeling pumped with energy.. Its all comign back I live at 45 degs lattitude so I was pretty deficant for yearsss. I dont take it in the summer tho, I just try to get out as much as possible.

[kfairhurst]

Good post, has anyone seen much info on people with already sufficient levels of Vit D?

[Drop_Dead]

Good post, has anyone seen much info on people with already sufficient levels of Vit D?

I'd be quite interested in this as well. Measly reps offered.

[mrericc69]

^^^Would like to know as well...

[ParsleyTea]

Nice post. I've been keeping my D3 levels between 60 to 70ng/ml for the last couple years and feel great for doing so.

Saw this article this morning about some other positive side effects observed when taking vitamin D.

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/20...mum-level.html

[Drop_Dead]

here is the article that was linked.

Saturday, December 18, 2010
Vitamin D: Deficiency vs optimum level

Dr. James Dowd of the Vitamin D Cure posted his insightful comments regarding the Institute of Medicine's inane evaluation of vitamin D.

Dr. Dowd hits a bullseye with this remark:

The IOM is focusing on deficiency when it should be focusing on optimal health values for vitamin D. The scientific community continues to argue about the lower limit of normal when we now have definitive pathologic data showing that an optimal vitamin D level is at or above 30 ng/mL. Moreover, if no credible toxicity has been reported for vitamin D levels below 200 ng/mL, why are we obsessing over whether our vitamin D level should be 20 ng/mL or 30 ng/mL?

Yes, indeed. Have no doubts: Vitamin D deficiency is among the greatest public health problems of our age; correction of vitamin D (using the human form of vitamin D, i.e., D3 or cholecalciferol, not the invertebrate or plant form, D2 or ergocalciferol) is among the most powerful health solutions.

I have seen everything from relief from winter "blues," to reversal of arthritis, to stopping the progression of aortic valve disease, to partial reversal of dementia by achieving 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels of 50 ng/ml or greater. (I aim for 60-70 ng/ml.)

The IOM's definition of vitamin D adequacy rests on what level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D reverses hyperparathyroidism (high PTH levels) and rickets. Surely there is more to health than that.

Dr. Dowd and vocal vitamin D advocate, Dr. John Cannell, continue to champion the vitamin D cause that, like many health issues, conradicts the "wisdom" of official organizations like the IOM.

[DR_P]

"...we now have definitive pathologic data showing that an optimal vitamin D level is at or above 30 ng/mL."

In humans?

[Drop_Dead]

In humans?

I dunno, maybe at the link it has more info or something.

[TheWaffleIron]

Good post, has anyone seen much info on people with already sufficient levels of Vit D?

In general, adequate nutrition will support - not necessarily raise - hormone levels; the biosyntheses of steroid hormones are highly regulated. In my opinion, to suggest that Vitamin D supplementation, in an otherwise healthy individual (not deficient in Vitamin D), may facilitate supraphysiological levels of testosterone is fallible.

[ParsleyTea]

Saw this good, short D3 article on Dr. Cannell's Twitter sight.

"Sports world awareness of the benefits of vitamin D increasing..."

http://twitter.com/VITAMINDCOUNCIL

In reference to the article, there is naturally a concern over sun exposure and cancer. Thought this was a good article by Dr Eades on risks involved with the sun and the need for vitamin D.

"Heliophobe Madness"

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/s...phobe-madness/

[_Nomad_]

20,000 iUs daily for almost a year now. Feels great man.

[On Fire]

20,000 iUs daily for almost a year now. Feels great man.

Exogenous? Borderline irresponsible imo. I feel great using 4-6000 iu's daily, I highly doubt multiplying that by 3-5 will result in feeling any better.

[_Nomad_]

Exogenous? Borderline irresponsible imo. I feel great using 4-6000 iu's daily, I highly doubt multiplying that by 3-5 will result in feeling any better.

http://www.ajcn.org/content/69/5/842.full

Published cases of vitamin D toxicity with hypercalcemia, for which the 25(OH)D concentration and vitamin D dose are known, all involve intake of ≥1000 µg (40000 IU)/d.

really tired atm but I remember reading elsewhere that the human body can naturally produce up to 20,000 ius of Vit D due to exposure to sunlight during the peak hours 12 - 3 pm.

[On Fire]

http://www.ajcn.org/content/69/5/842.full




really tired atm but I remember reading elsewhere that the human body can naturally produce up to 20,000 ius of Vit D due to exposure to sunlight during the peak hours 12 - 3 pm.

From your linked study:
Because vitamin D is potentially toxic, intake of >25 µg (1000 IU)/d has been avoided even though the weight of evidence shows that the currently accepted, no observed adverse effect limit of 50 µg (2000 IU)/d is too low by at least 5-fold.

^Proposes that 10,000iu could be potentially toxic. Sure your body produces its own in massive amounts, but I wouldn't suggest mimicking that via your own supplementation. There's just no studies using that much vitamin D3 for any long period of time (or short?).

Save yourself some money and lower your dose to at least half. I'm sure you won't notice any negative effect.

[Dutchman]

Having spent years closely following and championing megadosing Vitamin D3 to get one's levels up to the 50 to 70 ng level for optimum health and 90+ ngs when fighting off cancer, I have to laugh at the "old world" style of thinking that tries so hard to support minimal levels. I used to stay at 10,000 IUs ED but found that only slowly and insufficiently, for my purposes, raised my levels. Probably my age, now 69, wherin we typically only can process 25% of the D3 that a youngster in his 20s processes has dramatically affected my rate of gain in my levels. I went to 15,000 ED IIRC in early summer and last month I was finally up to the mid-70s. With the support of her Oncologist and team of doctors at the highly regarded Shands Institute at U of F, my late wife upped her daily dosage to 20,000 IUs and only could get up into the 80s (she was 60 at the time). She did at least at that level succeed in stopping all the metastasization that had been spreading rapidly through her body. There are other examples out there of 20,000 and 30,000 IUs daily being used with MS patients. Some now consider the "supposed but unproven" toxic level to be up between 100,000 and 150,000 IUs. I guess the impression I have garnered from reading and from our very limited experience is that the true effective and potential levels are rising far faster than detailed test and research can document/support. It may just simply be a case of where the tail correctly wags the horse.

[fredzs]

Great thread. I recently just purchased 600 Caps of Kirkland D3's 2000IU. Taking 4000IU a day. Feels good man.

[DR_P]

for all of you guys megadosing on Vit. D, you may consider to add som Vit. K2 alongside.
At least the people selling it say that K2 might be a critical factor preventing soft tissue calcification when high doses of Vit. D3 are being taken. I don't know if this claim is actually true or not, but at least people at really high doses of D should research that issue a ittle bit.

[jacobo1156]

Remember not to over dose on vitamins they go unused and sometimes can be bad for your body. yes alot of Vit D can increase testosterone but to much testosterone can leave you bald.


artofmale.blogspot.com

[BringnIt]

Remember not to over dose on vitamins they go unused and sometimes can be bad for your body. yes alot of Vit D can increase testosterone but to much testosterone can leave you bald.


artofmale.blogspot.com

You took such a good concept and then made it seem so simple. Almost like it was oversimple.

[dfmcannon]

I have renal failure and I had a doctor suggest to take 50000iu of VitD per week, so about 7000iu/day.

[Synapsin]

I have renal failure and I had a doctor suggest to take 50000iu of VitD per week, so about 7000iu/day.

He didn't write you a prescription for 50k iu pills to take? Usually its 50k iu 2-3x a week (the same protocol used for those with cancer).

[dfmcannon]

He didn't write you a prescription for 50k iu pills to take? Usually its 50k iu 2-3x a week (the same protocol used for those with cancer).

No, he couldn't because he's out of Texas and I live in Canada. My doctors here aren't open to alternate treatments.

[dfmcannon]

For all you guys taking 6000+ iu/day, do you take it all at once or spread it out through the day?

[kingof_queens]

For all you guys taking 6000+ iu/day, do you take it all at once or spread it out through the day?

I take in 15K a day in the form of three 5K tablets, taken once in the morning, once mid-day, and once before bed, all after a meal for maximum absorption.

[dfmcannon]

I take in 15K a day in the form of three 5K tablets, taken once in the morning, once mid-day, and once before bed, all after a meal for maximum absorption.

What have you noticed from 15000/day?