Vitamin D supplementation significantly reduces total testosterone

Science
#1

Just came across this article and thought to share:

Our analysis revealed that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduces total testosterone

This could explain why some are “feeling better” when supplementing Vitamin D. PFS patients not uncommonly find that increasing Testosterone makes them worse, while many anti-androgenic substances have been reported to improve PFS symptoms, at least transiently.

Since anti-androgens have gotten us here in the first place, further supplementing such substances should be considered carefully. It is possible that they can worsen the condition.

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#2

Interesting.

I wonder if the same effect holds for vitamin D from sunlight.

I noticed that vitamin D supplements raise my heart rate, created heart palpitations, and caused frequent urinations.

#3

I believe the conclusion from this study should be:

“Vitamin D supplementation normalizes serum testosterone in women with PCOS whose testosterone is elevated above normal ranges”

rather than

“Vitamin D supplementation lowers testosterone across the board for everyone who takes it”.

There are also studies on men which suggest it either has no effect, or causes an increase:


My personal experience with it is that it increases hair loss (suggesting an androgenic rather than anti-androgenic effect), improves overall mood and energy, and cured some chronic back pain that I was beginning to deal with at 28 which IMO is very out of place at this age.

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#4

It’s quite contradictory. Many studies associate low vit D with Lower testosterone.

#5

I think it depends on the person.
For me, vitamin D increased scalp hair a bit and stopped my hairloss. Then, I stupidly took finasteride and fucked myself over.

But back then, I was extremely deficient in Vitamin D.

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#6

@awor I appreciate everything you do, but gonna have to agree with others on this thread: your conclusion is misguided. The conclusion should be: T lowers in females with PCOS. Also free T isnt affected. I’ve seen just as many people on this forum feel terrible from D as feel good on it. Much respect though.

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#7

No worries @Bigpoppa10040 and thanks for sharing @fvckthepfs. I seem to have pulled the trigger to fast on that one. You’re right, the literature on men does not appear to support the association I made. It appears that some show an increase, while others show no effect, as you wrote. But it is interesting to note that each further study I looked at, including the ones you cited, are concluding along these lines:

Larger placebo-controlled studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D supplementation can influence testosterone production.

This latest one is from May 2020. There seems to be huge variability and also contradiction in the results of these studies, the reason for which appears to be unclear.

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#8

It’s for women.

#9

How ?
I took saw palmetto nd when I get PFS after few months I found gums ( teeth ) bleeding …
Saw palmetto reduced my vit D level when I tested I found .
Nd u can find many users on multiple websites who has PFS , suffering from deficiency of vit D .

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#10

Is there a reason finasteride and SP reduces vitamin D?

#11

I have been on VitD3 since october 2009. If it decreases T level then my T level should have been very low by now.But in reality my FSH, Lh have increased after vit D. My T level also rose to 13 from 8.5 ( 9 is the lower limit in Canada). Also if I try to reduce my Vit D below 5000 IU , I cannot walk, indigestion increases, muscles ache, eye sight goes blurry. my voice starts squeaking, and many more issues spring up again. I have confirmed through my blood tests that LH and FSH also decrease with low VitD supplementation.

#12

How long did it take your test levels to go from 8.5 to 13? Couldn’t it just have been time that caused your test to rise?

#13

I have to use vitamin D or else I become deficient and feel terrible. Sunlight just isn’t enough

#14

it is not sunlight is enough or not, the Vitamin D synthesis has broken in our body. I have spent hours in sunlight for many days, my skin burns but no vitmain D feelings. Only vitamin D3 works now in my body. I don’t know why our body is not making it. I wish it was that easy to just sit in the sunlight.

#15

I was deficient even before PFS. Just due to my lifestyle I guess. I don’t like sitting in the sun for long and when I do outdoor activities it’s never in the peak time (10-2 PM) when there are enough UV rays to even make it in the first place.

So, PFS or not, I am relegated to taking Vitamin D3 supplements unless I want my bones to crumble.

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#16

I never took VitD in my life before SP side effects. Before SP use, for as short time in a sunny day was enough to super charging me for many days.