Due to its ability to naturally stimulate testosterone production within the body, this nutrient is frequently referred to as the sixth steroid hormone. While your body produces vitamin D naturally when it’s directly exposed to sunlight, the unfortunate reality for most of us is that we simply don’t get enough of it on a regular basis. This is why Vitamin D supplements are so important in ensuring adequate levels of the vitamin in your body throughout the day.
There are a large number of meticulously researched clinical trials that have shown that vitamin D can boost testosterone levels.
One study, published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, found that a group of athletes experienced an increase in strength and muscle mass after taking Vitamin D supplement doses of 4,000 IU and above. Doses of 5,000 IU have been found to increase muscle mass, strength, bone health and athletic performance without any side effects whatsoever. (2)
Another study established that supplementing with 3,332 IUs of Vitamin D elevated testosterone to significantly higher levels. (3) Best of all, higher doses of Vitamin D can also reduce muscle soreness (4), improve muscular endurance (6) and enhance cognitive performance (5)
Getting enough vitamin D is crucially important for your neurological health. More and more research is emerging, suggesting a correlation between Alzheimer’s disease and vitamin D deficiency.
A recent study demonstrated the effects of vitamin D on Alzheimer’s occurrence in elderly women. The study found that the group with the highest intake of Vitamin D (20% of the participants) experienced a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. (27)