Testosterone is considered the most crucial of all male hormones. Testosterone is responsible for helping men build strong muscles, enhancing libido, and improving energy levels. A deficiency in testosterone may cause a man to lose his sex drive, experience erectile dysfunction, develop osteoporosis, feel depressed, and lose muscle mass. Low levels of testosterone have also been suggested to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality.
The easiest way to maintain balanced testosterone levels naturally is through diet, exercise, and supplementation with vitamin D-3. Vitamin D-3 is necessary for the development of the nucleus of the sperm cell. Furthermore, it also helps maintain sperm count. Vitamin D-3 also raises testosterone levels, which can enhance the male sex drive.
A recent study found that healthy men taking 3332 IUs of vitamin D-3 on a daily basis for a year had 25.2% more testosterone in comparison to those taking a placebo. A new study has even linked erectile dysfunction (ED) to vitamin D deficiency. Italian researchers conducted a study in 143 men with ED. The results showed that most men with ED have low vitamin D levels and those with more severe ED had significantly lower vitamin D levels than those with mild ED. Vitamin D deficiency was also worse in those with ED due to penile atherosclerosis than in those men with ED due to other factors.
Because vitamin D and testosterone influence the body’s health and performance, it is crucial that you consistently monitor levels of these biomarkers to make sure that they are optimized. Research clearly suggests that there is a correlation between adequate levels of vitamin D and adequate levels of testosterone. However, supplementation may only help you boost testosterone if you are already proven to be deficient in both testosterone and vitamin D.