Just another reason to supplement with Vitamin D… I know I’ve heard a lot of anecdotal information about Vitamin D as a potential testosterone booster, but here’s an interesting summary of studies looking into this from the following website: http://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+D/#summary10-0
"In a cross-sectional study assessing correlations between androgens and Vitamin D, it was noted that (n=2299) Vitamin D was positively associated with androgen status (higher testosterone and lower SHBG) even after BMI, smoking, alcohol, beta-blockers and diabetes were controlled for.[96] Additionally, significant correlations were found between androgen status and time of the year, when the sun exposure correlated with higher Vitamin D status, with the peaks (March, August) having 16-18% variation in testosterone levels, but these did not extend to SHBG.[96] Additionally, when investigating serum levels of testosterone and their relationship to falls in the elderly, persons who take Vitamin D/Calcium supplements have significantly less risk additive to testosterone.[97]
In a study on nondiabetics (n=165) where the men were analyzed as a specific subset (n=54), supplementation of 3332IU of Vitamin D daily for a year that was able to normalize serum Vitamin D (increase above 50nmol/L) noted improvements in testosterone (+25.2%), bioactive test (+19%), and free test (+20.2%) in men that were at the low-end of normal for testosterone previously; there was no change in placebo over this time period.[98]"
I started taking between 10 and 15k a day and felt better than ever. My workouts were stronger and my concentration and focus was much better at work. Plus, I was always in a very good mood.
A while ago my doctor told me that since it is a fat soluble vitamin, that you should be somewhat careful with dosage because it can cause liver and kidney damage in some cases. A nurse told me that it can also cause kidney stones. I did some research and found that there was a lot of debate about that however.
But it is a miracle vitamin for sure and it sounds like the only way to get enough without running any long term risk is to get it from the sun. Now I take 5k a day and still feel alright.
I take 4k UI a day which keeps me around 55ng/ml. I am looking for the study, but people who tested blood serum levels of hunter gatherers from Asia to Africa found they averaged between 50 and 60ng/ml. Here is a link to a study which says that even higher is better:
Secondly, about cancer, I have seen studies which show that vitamin D deficiencies are linked to cancer:
EDIT: I haven’t noticed feeling better, ahving more energy, etc. The only thing I’ve noticed about the supplementing of vitamin d3 is that I hardly get sick any more and when I do, it is very quick and mild. I used to get a cold every three or four months, now it is every 14+ months and not nearly so bad.
[quote]kravi wrote:
I take 4k UI a day which keeps me around 55ng/ml. I am looking for the study, but people who tested blood serum levels of hunter gatherers from Asia to Africa found they averaged between 50 and 60ng/ml. Here is a link to a study which says that even higher is better:
Secondly, about cancer, I have seen studies which show that vitamin D deficiencies are linked to cancer:
EDIT: I haven’t noticed feeling better, ahving more energy, etc. The only thing I’ve noticed about the supplementing of vitamin d3 is that I hardly get sick any more and when I do, it is very quick and mild. I used to get a cold every three or four months, now it is every 14+ months and not nearly so bad.[/quote]
Total Testosterone - 280 Range (241-827)
Free Testosterone - .71 Range (.95-4.30)
Vit D - 26.5 Range (33-100)
After 1 month of taking 15,000 Vit D a day, my blood tests were:
Total Testosterone - 500 Range (241-827)
Free Testosterone - 1.21 Range (.95-4.30)
Vit D - 66.4 Range (33-100)
Mood and libido shot up hugely, which were my main complaints. My doctor wanted to put me on TRT but I was able to avoid that, mostly thanks to Vit D. Those tests were about 10 months ago and I dropped my Vit D down to 5-10,000 per day. Mood and libido are still good so I’m thinking that the T levels are still good, if not better at this point.
I want to keep my D levels above 60 so I’m going to get tested again in January to make sure they haven’t dropped too low.
I have been taking 100,000 IUs for the past 4 days. Im waiting to burst into a Phoenix! And kill this flu…
I have noticed in the past that if I overdose I will get depressed, almost immediately after taking it. I know though I have been somewhat twilight working on projects the past few weeks, pale as all hell. So this high dose is probably needed.
i ran out of vitamin d (6k IU/day) 3 weeks ago and im starting to notice my nails arent growing as fast and theyre getting kind of weak and brittle looking. hair isnt growing as fast either, and my eyes feel dry and twitchy. and my facial hair doesnt seem as thick, and i have a small patch missing that has NEVER been missing.
Noted. My bloodwork comes in ng/mL and the studies I’ve read use that as well, so that be what I use.
–Me[/quote]
Your previous reply used nmol and ng interchangely it seemed you or I may want to re-read it :D[/quote]
So I have a habit of not seeing things right in front of my face. Seriously. My wife constantly laughs at me because of it. But I re-read my post (and even your quote of my post) and I did not see me refer to nmols at all. Which doesn’t mean I didn’t, you understand. One of the two things I linked to used them, though.
[quote]fuglee wrote:
Vitamin D did good things for me.
With no supplementation my blood results were:
Total Testosterone - 280 Range (241-827)
Free Testosterone - .71 Range (.95-4.30)
Vit D - 26.5 Range (33-100)
After 1 month of taking 15,000 Vit D a day, my blood tests were:
Total Testosterone - 500 Range (241-827)
Free Testosterone - 1.21 Range (.95-4.30)
Vit D - 66.4 Range (33-100)
Mood and libido shot up hugely, which were my main complaints. My doctor wanted to put me on TRT but I was able to avoid that, mostly thanks to Vit D. Those tests were about 10 months ago and I dropped my Vit D down to 5-10,000 per day. Mood and libido are still good so I’m thinking that the T levels are still good, if not better at this point.
I want to keep my D levels above 60 so I’m going to get tested again in January to make sure they haven’t dropped too low.[/quote]
Amazing. I definitely also have the feeling as though my vitamin D intake supports my overall T balance (I know how it feels to be deficient; had endurance sport-related overtraining issues about ten years ago and my levels plummeted; it took me a couple of years to get things somewhat normal again). What’s interesting is your rather high intake, even for our standards, and the seemingly direct correlation to T levels.
I was thinking about upping my dosage to 5k IU per day and looking out for the effects. Just a question: are you maintaining 5-10k IU per day all year round? In what kind of a climate do you live?
[quote]kgildner wrote:
I was thinking about upping my dosage to 5k IU per day and looking out for the effects. Just a question: are you maintaining 5-10k IU per day all year round? In what kind of a climate do you live?[/quote]
I’ve probably averaged about 7.5k per day. I tend to take 10k or 15k every couple of days. I live in the Pacific NW (United States) so I don’t get a lot of sunshine. Before I get tested next year I’m planning on taking 10k a day for 30 days to see what my levels are. I thought that 15k per day would have put me higher than it did, so it will be interesting to see what 10k does. Then I can adjust accordingly.
I’ll probably get my T tested again too. The Total T level was fine but my Free T was still very low. I figure that I’ve been Vit D deficient for most of my life so I’m hoping that a year of good supplementing has done good things for my Free T.
Just following up to my earlier comment. I did get things tested. With 6000IU a day for roughly 4 months, blood results had my D at 40.3 ng/mL. Nothing particularly high.
you or I may want to re-read it 