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Thursday 24 January 2013

Boosting Testosterone: The Impact of Vitamin D

Testosterone is a hormone of vital importance, particularly in males. It is known for the role it plays in regulating a multitude of functions including libido, mood, the immune response, as well as stimulating stem cells and spermatogenesis (& yes, penile growth).


As such, the substantial decrease of male serum Testosterone concentrations (age-independent) over the past 20 years is a worrying statistic. Research shows that, over the past two decades alone, bioavailable testosterone has dropped at an approximate rate of 1.3% per year. While researchers are baffled as to the cause, many proponents of complementary and alternative medicine would argue they are simply not looking in the right places.

Today, I’d like to present you with a strategy for reclaiming your manhood that few people consider.


Just one?!

The aim of this article is not to give you a million, impossible-to-remember, tips that will exit your mind just as quickly as they enter it. Instead, the method I offer can be used by anyone without detriment to their wallet and with no detriment to their health.

*Note: Hormone optimization is a highly individualised issue. If you suspect your hormones are out of balance, I do suggest working with a healthcare professional towards better management of diet, lifestyle and other issues that may be at the root of your personal issue.



“Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows” ... Well Maybe Just The First One!

Previous data suggests that an association between Vitamin D and testosterone levels in men exists. Unfortunately, the research was unable to offer insight into whether this relationship was correlary or causative. More recently, a study by Pilz et al. (2010) assessed the effect of Vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels of overweight men (Aged 20-49) undergoing a weight reduction program. Participants received either 3,332 IU Vitamin D, daily for 1 year or a placebo. It should be noted that initial 25(OH)D concentrations were less than 50 nmol/l (deficiency range) and testosterone values were at the lower end of the reference range (9.09 – 55.28 nmol/l). When these levels were subsequently measured at the conclusion of the research, circulating levels of Vitamin D had increased significantly by 53.5 nmol/l which was found to occur alongside a significant increase in total testosterone, bioactive testosterone and free testosterone. In contrast, no significant changes were observed in either the 25(OH)D or testosterone levels of the placebo group.

Figure 1. Food Sources of Vitamin D


Take-Away:

Vitamin D optimization is an important consideration for any health-conscious individual. Prior analyses suggest that mean serum levels of about 75 – 110 nmol/l may provide optimal benefits for various health-related endpoints without increasing health risks. Researchers suggest that these can best be obtained with oral doses in the range of 1,800 to 4,000 IU Vitamin D p/day. However, it is important to monitor progress through the use of periodic blood tests.


References:

Bischoff-Ferrari, H.A., Shao, A., Dawson-Hughes, B., Hathcock, J., Giovannucci, E., & Willett, W.C. (2009). Benefit-risk assessment of vitamin d supplementation. Osteoperos Int, 21(7), 1121
-32.


Pilz, S., Frisch, S., Koertke, H., Kuhn, J., Dreir, J., Obermayer-Pietsch, B., Wehr, E., & Zittermann, A. (2011). Effect of vitamin d supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metab Res, 43(3), 223-5.


Travison, T.G., Araujo, A.B., O'Donnell, A.B., Kupelian, V., & McKinlay, J.B. (2007). A population-level decline in serum testosterone levels in american men. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 92(1), 196-202.


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