Vitamin D effects on Testosterone
Low testosterone has received a lot of publicity in the health and wellness industry. Although this a very real health issue, there is a variety of nutritional interventions that are rarely discussed, prior to exogenous testosterone, one of which includes Vitamin D. Vitamin D regulates testosterone hormone in men by inhibiting the aromatization of testosterone to estrogen.
There are a variety of reason why a man’s testosterone could be low. But there is a clear connection between vitamin D absorption/production and testosterone levels in males. We could spend hours coming up with correlative reasons, both sociological and nutritional, as to why low T is occurring at such a high rate in men; but here are two theories: 1.) Our exposure to UV light has significantly reduced in modern society due to increase work in doors decreasing our production of vitamin D and 2.) eating a diet higher in processes sugars is limiting the absorption of vitamin D.
The human skin can make large amounts of vitamin D when exposed to the sun in response to ultraviolet B found in the Sun rays.
Not only are cereal grains deficient in vitamins but many contain substances that decrease the intestinal absorption of many other important nutrients. Vitamin D utilization by the body can be inhibited by an excessive consumption of cereal grains.
Therefore, through supplementation of vitamin D, we can down-regulate the aromatase enzyme, which in turn reduces the conversion of free testosterone to estrogen, resulting in a higher serum testosterone level.
- Pilz S, et al. Horm Metab Res. (2011) Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3712348/
- Katharina Nimptsc, et al. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) (2013) Association between plasma 25-OH vitamin D and testosterone levels in men. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21154195/
- Wehr E, et al Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). (2010) Association of vitamin D status with serum androgen levels in men. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20050857
- Pilz S, et al Horm Metab Res. (2011) Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154195
- Kinuta K, et al Endocrinology. (2000) Vitamin D is an important factor in estrogen biosynthesis of both female and male gonads. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10746634
