One of the compounds necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. Without it, calcium is not absorbed, which means that it is equally necessary for everyone who wants to have strong and healthy bones, teeth and nails. But vitamin D is especially necessary for men.

Although there are five forms in nature in which vitamin D, often referred to as calciferol, can exist, sufficient biological activity have only two of them:

• Ergocalciferol, aka vitamin D2 - a synthesized form that is added to food and nutritional supplements.
• Cholecalciferol, D3 - a compound found naturally in food and produced in the body under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

The role that calciferol plays in the body is due to the fact that it takes an active part in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. leads to increased fragility of bones, a decrease in skeletal muscle tone, an increased likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease or age-related dementia in old age.

For men

Calciferol is equally necessary for everyone, but the stronger sex is especially needed for several reasons.

Testosterone is a male sex hormone produced by the testes from cholesterol and the adrenal glands in small amounts. It is well known that this compound is responsible for the so-called "male power" and appearance corresponding to physiological male type. But this is not the only thing the body needs testosterone for. This compound takes part in the formation of bone tissue and muscles, affects the emotional state of a man.

In the process of bone formation, the hormone is included only in case of a lack of calcium. But the body constantly produces approximately the same amount of the hormone, respectively, if some part of it is sent to help the bones, its amount, which regulates potency and the production of seminal fluid, inexorably decreases.

Well, so that the body does not have to urgently transfer testosterone to the bones - the amount of calcium and vitamin D in it should not be lower than the biological norm. Another useful property substances in that it reduces the activity of the female hormone estrogen, an excess of which in the male body leads to the feminization of the figure.

Vitamin D takes an active part in the formation of sperm and, accordingly, directly affects the risk of male infertility. Studies have shown that the spermatozoa of men suffering from calciferol deficiency are less mobile and viable than those in whose body the level of this vitamin is within the normal range. The exact reasons for this relationship have not yet been identified, but there is a hypothesis that lipid metabolism, stimulated by vitamin D, allows sperm to spend less energy while maintaining high activity.

Calciferol is directly related to prostate diseases. Its deficiency leads to the development chronic prostatitis increases the risk of prostate cancer.

Another reason vitamin D is especially important for men is its relationship with muscle growth and body fat. Of course, obesity is equally unpleasant for people of any sex, but the relief muscles are more often the goal of men. It has been proven that increasing the level of calciferol after its deficiency accelerates the increase in muscle volume after exercising in the gym.

How to get enough vitamin D?

The most reliable source of vitamin D is sunlight. It is enough for residents of an average and temperate climate to spend up to half an hour daily in the sun during the warm season to protect themselves from a deficiency of this necessary substance. Unfortunately, the rays of the morning and evening sun do not stimulate the production of cholecalciferol. It makes it difficult to synthesize and use sunscreens, and people with dark skin need to spend much more time in the sun. At risk are also residents of the subarctic and arctic zones, people working at night or underground. Vitamin synthesis under ultraviolet rays passing through glass is also impossible.

In most foods, the content of cholecalciferol is not very high.

The exceptions are:

• fish oil obtained from cod liver, and the liver itself;
• fatty fish;
• yolk;
• chanterelles;
• dairy products;
• fatty meat, pork and beef liver.

Abroad, especially in the USA, there is a practice to irradiate fatty foods, such as milk, with the appropriate spectrum of UV rays. After that, the amount of calciferol in them significantly increases.

When compiling a diet, it must be borne in mind that without fat, vitamin D is not absorbed. From artificial sources, you can get a sufficient amount of this substance either in a solarium or with special additives. In the second case, you should first consult a doctor, since it is no better than beriberi. Additional intake of the substance in, or should be prescribed only by a specialist.

Calciferol has a remarkable ability to accumulate in the body, so if you try to spend more time under the sun, a sharp deficiency of this substance practically does not threaten. But still, it is better to control its presence in the body, because it is responsible for so many important processes.

Men! Make sure you get enough vitamin D from food or supplements, or any other way, because your testosterone levels, libido and other much-needed functions of your body depend on it!

Let's first understand what vitamin D is and why it is needed at all. Vitamin D (this is the collective name) is a group of fat-soluble substances, of which vitamin D2 (or ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) are of practical importance. Vitamin D can be produced by the body itself or introduced from food, supplements, or synthesized in the skin using solar radiation. Human skin is rich in provitamin D, which is activated by exposure to sunlight. This is the most biologically based way of obtaining vitamin D, which has developed in humans over a long time of its existence under the sun.

So, our skin is the main source of vitamin D. 90-95% of it daily allowance formed in most people when exposed to sunlight. To the surprise and disappointment of many bodybuilders, it must be said that vitamin D is not present in significant amounts in our food, because it is not, in fact, intended by nature for ingestion. To do this, there are other ways described earlier.

However, food sources of vitamin D are also available. 250 ml of milk contains, for example, 100 IU of this vitamin, although these values ​​often fluctuate depending on the fat content of the milk. Other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, tend to contain little or no vitamin D. Fish oil (salmon, mackerel, sardine) contains 200-350 IU of vitamin D per 100 grams of product.

Although vitamin D is found in some food products, their consumption in food does not guarantee even the minimum necessary intake of this vitamin in the body. Most often, people who are little in the sun, the elderly, overweight people, people with dark color skin. Vitamin D supplementation has only become essential in recent years as lifestyle changes lead to less and less sun exposure.

Vitamin D deficiency is now considered in many countries in Europe and America as a real epidemic. More and more large quantity scientific research show that vitamin D deficiency contributes to a wide range of health problems such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, inflammatory responses, and heart disease. Another negative influence A health condition of particular interest to bodybuilders is the fact that vitamin D deficiency is directly linked to low testosterone levels.

Since vitamin D is involved in many physiological processes in the body, it would be interesting to understand how it also affects the level of androgens? To find out, scientists used special drugs to block vitamin D receptors in a group of experimental mice (males), and all these mice showed a significant deterioration in the condition of the gonads, a decrease in the number of spermatozoa, as well as histological abnormalities in the testicular tissue.

Prove the role of vitamin D in androgen production and seasonal differences in testosterone levels in winter time when the amount of solar radiation decreases, and the body is covered with thick clothing, and in summer, with intense sunlight. So, in the summer, testosterone levels in men are higher.

And sporting achievements reach their peak at the end of the summer, and decrease in winter period. Despite the lack of direct data on the effect on testosterone synthesis, vitamin D preparations are used to improve sperm quality and in some cases to treat erectile dysfunction (albeit as adjuncts). Scientists recently reported that vitamin D may be more important for testosterone production than previously thought.

What exactly is the relationship between vitamin D and testosterone levels? An interesting study was recently published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology that attempted to uncover the relationship between vitamin D, testosterone, and SHBG (or sex hormone-binding globulin) in 2,299 people. It should be remembered that SHBG binds testosterone in the blood and reduces the degree of its interaction with androgen receptors. The researchers studied the relationship between vitamin D levels and testosterone levels throughout the year.

They found that men who received enough vitamin D had significantly higher levels of testosterone, free androgens, and low levels of SHBG. The ratio between the intake of vitamin D in the body and testosterone, free androgens is stable, but has a seasonal pattern with a decrease in March and a peak in August.

Thus, the dependence of testosterone levels on a sufficient amount of vitamin D in men was confirmed. Therefore, bodybuilders need to carefully monitor the content of vitamin D in their diet, as it affects the level of testosterone necessary for anyone who wants to have more muscle mass, to train more efficiently.

It is estimated that the body needs 3000-5000 IU of vitamin D daily. It would seem that this is a lot. But, given that vitamin D is required by every cell, every tissue of the body, such an amount is justified. Calcium is critical to maintaining proper levels of calcium metabolism and maintaining good health.

Literature

• Holick MF, Shao Q, Liu WW, Chen TC. The vitamin D content of fortified milk and infant formula. N Engl J Med. 1992 Apr 30;326(18):1178-81.
• Zadshir A, Tareen N, Pan D, Norris K, Martins D. The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D among US adults: data from the NHANES III. Ethn Dis. 2005;15(4 Suppl 5):S5-101.
• Wortsman J, Matsuoka LY, Chen TC, Lu Z, Holick MF. Decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity. Am J Clinic Nutr. 2000 Sep;72(3):690-3.
• Kinuta K, Tanaka H, ​​Moriwake T, et al. (2000) Vitamin D is an important factor in estrogen biosynthesis of both female and male gonads. Endocrinology, 141, 1317-1324.
• Andersson AM, Carlsen E, Petersen JH, et al. (2003) Variation in levels of serum inhibin B, testosterone, estradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and sex hormone-binding globulin in monthly samples from healthy men during a 17-month period: possible effects of seasons. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 88, 932-937.
• Cannell JJ, Hollis BW, Sorenson MB, et al. (2009) Athletic performance and vitamin D. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 41, 1102-1110.
• Hirai T, Tsujimura A, Ueda T, et al. (2009) Effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin d on testicular morphology and gene expression in experimental cryptorchid mouse: testis specific cDNA microarray analysis and potential implication in male infertility. J Urol, 181, 1487-1492.
• Wehr E, Pilz S, Boehm BO, März W, Obermayer-Pietsch B. Association of vitamin D status with serum androgen levels in men. Clin Endocrinol(Oxf), 2009 Dec 29.
• Barger-Lux MJ, Heaney RP, Dowell S, Chen TC, Holick MF. Vitamin D and its major metabolites: serum levels after graded oral dosing in healthy men. Osteoporos Int, 1998;8:222-230.

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble chemicals (calciferols). There are two main representatives of this group - ergocalciferol (vitamin D 2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D 3). The latter has the maximum biological activity, and therefore is the main representative of this group. Moreover, vitamin D 3 can be formed under the influence of ultraviolet rays or enter the human body with animal food, while ergocalciferol comes only with food. However, vitamins D 2 and D 3 are only provitamins for their conversion in the liver, and then in the kidneys into an active metabolite - calcitriol, which causes all the effects of vitamin D.

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The amazing property of vitamin D lies in its self-formation when exposed to human skin. sun rays and artificial ultraviolet radiation. This happens due to the presence of provitamin in the human epidermis, which, under the influence of sunlight, turns into vitamin D.

The amount of complete vitamin D synthesized from provitamin, among other things, depends on the level of skin pigmentation. It is known that the darker the skin of a person, the less actively the processes of vitamin D synthesis occur. This can be regarded as defense mechanism, which does not allow excessive formation of the "solar" vitamin.

However, fair-skinned northern men who are not exposed to sun do not generally develop vitamin D deficiency because their diet is rich in seafood, in particular fatty fish, which are a rich source of vitamin D.

The possibility of formation of vitamin D under the influence of sunlight weakens with age. This may be one reason why older people are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Against the background of the fact that older people do not receive enough sunlight (they spend a lot of time at home), as well as an unbalanced diet, a vitamin D-deficient state may develop in the autumn-winter period.

Cholecalciferol, being a fat-soluble vitamin, tends to accumulate in adipose tissue. This can serve as a kind of "lifeline" if a man gets enough vitamin D in his diet. solar time, the reserves of which are enough for a sunless autumn-winter period.

Importance in the body and daily requirement

The main properties of vitamin D are in cooperation with calcium in the construction of bone tissue, improving the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestine and embedding them in bone tissue. As a result, the concentration of calcium in the blood increases, and it copes with its functions more efficiently.

The daily requirement of vitamin D for men is 400 IU (10 mcg).

In some conditions associated with bone pathology, such as bone fragility, fractures, osteoarticular tuberculosis, osteoporosis, higher doses of vitamin D may be used.

Vitamin D and testosterone

According to Dr. S. Kaadri's book "The Testosterone Factor", testosterone is involved in the construction of bone tissue, helps to absorb calcium and build this element into those parts of the body that it needs.

If calcium intake is insufficient, testosterone molecules are sent to the bones, participating in their restoration. This leads to the fact that less testosterone performs its direct function in the body.

Consuming enough calcium, along with vitamin D, frees testosterone from its job of "maintenance" of the bone, without preventing it from exerting its hormonal action elsewhere.

Although vitamin D has a wide range of effects on testosterone, the main ones are:

1. Collaboration with calcium in bone building (improved absorption of calcium from the gut and bone mineralization);
2. Transformation into its less active forms.

The consequences of vitamin D deficiency for men:

• Osteoporosis;
• osteomalacia;
• Reducing the effectiveness of testosterone, with all the ensuing consequences.

Sources of Vitamin D

solar irradiation

IN ideal conditions, solar exposure is enough to replenish the daily requirement for vitamin D. It also matters how the exposure to sunlight on human skin is. For example, exposure to solar radiation through glass does not lead to activation of cholecalciferol production. The same applies to clothing - on sunny days, you should try to expose as many skin areas as possible to the sun's rays (change trousers for shorts, shirts for sleeveless T-shirts, etc.). The use of sunscreen also interferes with the formation of the vitamin.

An alternative to solar exposure can be exposure to artificial ultraviolet rays, for example, a moderate visit to the solarium.

Food

Residents of northern countries do not suffer from vitamin D deficiency, since their diet is rich in fatty fish, one of the main dietary sources of vitamin D. Such fish also contain a sufficient amount of fat for adequate absorption of vitamin D 3 .

Vitamin D is not destroyed by cooking. For the normal assimilation of this vitamin, adequate intake of proteins, vitamins A, C, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, essential fatty acids is necessary. Much of this combines oily fish.

Since the diet of the inhabitants middle lane cannot meet the need for cholecalciferol, the most convenient form of obtaining the daily requirement of vitamin D is in the form of a dietary supplement or specialized vitamin D supplements.

Even at the dawn of the discovery of vitamin D, it was shown that irradiating foods with ultraviolet light significantly increases the amount of the "sunshine" vitamin in them. This practice is still popular in the US, for example when irradiating milk and other fatty foods.

According to the principle of the American food industry, milk rich in vitamin D can be obtained at home by irradiating it. ultraviolet lamp. With this treatment, 1 liter of milk accounts for the daily need for this vitamin. But only one glass of such milk can be drunk a day!

Sources:

1. V. G. Liflyandsky"Vitamins and Minerals", 2010;
2. T. P. Emelyanova"Vitamins and Minerals: The Complete Encyclopedia", 2000;
3. T. S. Morozkina, A. G. Moiseyonok"Vitamins", 2002;
4. edaplus.info- source of illustrations for the article.

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Few of us regularly get everything essential vitamins and micronutrients. But if we want to support blood cells, preserve their ability to transport oxygen, improve the functioning of nerve cells, or help the biochemical reactions in the body, including the synthesis of testosterone, then replenishing the daily requirement for certain vitamins will help us with this.

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This vitamin is involved in several hundred biochemical reactions, and new ones are constantly being identified. These include helping the body clear cholesterol that is deposited on the walls of the arteries, strengthening bone tissue, speeding up wound healing, reducing allergic reactions, protecting against various cancers, and improving the body's recovery from cancer chemotherapy. Vitamin C is a particularly effective natural antidote to the chemical effects of our constantly stressed lives.

Vitamin C helps to reduce and neutralize one of the main opponents of testosterone -. This helps to keep the shifting balance between testosterone and cortisol in favor of testosterone.

Dosage and recommendations. Until age 50, take 500 mg; after 50 years - 1000 mg of vitamin C daily. This dietary supplement is recommended for men who are in constant physical and emotional stress. This is a higher dose than is found in most multivitamins, which usually contain approximately 90 mg of vitamin C. Even a smaller dose was sufficient to prevent scurvy, a disease that afflicted the British Navy in 1753. Sailors on long sea voyages, who did not have any access to fresh fruit, this condition developed (tooth loss, joint damage, subcutaneous hemorrhages and bleeding). This shows how old our views on the recommended dose of vitamin C are. Many men report that they begin to feel better with mental and physical stress as early as 7-10 days after starting a dose of 500 mg.

Vitamin D

It has been found that 30% of North American men are deficient in vitamin D. The natural vitamin is produced in the skin with 15 minutes of exposure to sunlight. The danger of an overdose of solar radiation is very high, but it is also true that we do not get enough exposure to the sun's rays. Winter, sunscreen, indoor shopping malls, underground parking and the subway all contribute to scarcity.

Although vitamin D has a big impact on testosterone status, there are two main points:

1. Vitamin D works with calcium to build bone tissue;
2. Vitamin D helps absorb calcium from the intestines into the bloodstream, distribute this trace mineral to the interior of the bone, and build (or mineralize) calcium into proper, hard bone structure.

Through these processes, testosterone is freed from "maintenance" of the bone and exerts its hormonal action elsewhere.

Vitamin D helps convert testosterone's opponent - - into its weaker form. Estrogen is a group of hormones with nearly 30 different identified constituents. It is usually divided into 3 components: estrone (estrogen 1), estradiol (estrogen 2) and estriol (estrogen 3). They have different strength actions exist in dynamic equilibrium and can be transformed into each other.

In men, vitamin D helps reduce the effectiveness of estrogen. It converts the stronger estrogens to a weaker form (estriol).

Dosage and recommendations. Until age 50, take 400 IU (10 mcg); after 50 years - 800 IU (20 mcg) of vitamin D per day. Vitamin D is especially recommended for men who experience bone pain, joint pain, and those who do not get enough sun exposure.

(approximate availability in 100 g)

Fish fat

(omega 3 and omega 6)

The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in fish oil are special. The list of health benefits they provide is constantly growing. It includes:

• stimulation of blood circulation;
• decreased LDL levels;
• increased HDL levels;
• prevention of heart attacks;
• blood thinning to prevent thrombosis;
• lowering blood pressure;
• maintaining a regular heart rate;
• fighting inflammation;
• fight against autoimmune reactions;
• improved mobility in the joints;
• stabilization of cell membranes;
• help in transferring stress;
• mood improvement.

Men who regularly consume fish oil have:

• fewer heart attacks;
• less severe heart attacks;
• high survival rate after heart attacks.

Both of these fats are important for testosterone production. Omega-3 and omega-6 are known as essential fatty acids (EFAs), which the body cannot produce on its own and must be obtained from food. Methods of manufacture and dosage may vary, but compact should contain:

1. Omega-3 oils: eicosapentaenoic, docosahexanoic, alpha-linoleic acid;
2. Omega-6 oils: linoleic and gamma-linoleic acid.

The terminology can be tricky, but these fatty acids are essential parts of the testosterone biosynthetic pathway.

Dosage and recommendations. Since fish oils are available under different brand names that differ in the method of preparation and composition of fish oils, be guided by the dosage indicated in the instructions for the drug. Fish oil is recommended specifically for men who are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease: this includes all men with high blood pressure, obesity and high stress levels. If you are prone to bleeding, diabetes, or an aspirin allergy, check with your healthcare provider to decide if you can take fish oil at all or should adjust your dose individually.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E helps cleanse the body of the harmful products of its own biochemical reactions. Just as factories generate industrial waste, the body itself produces toxic chemicals. Free radicals are toxic by-products of the body's own biochemical processes. These high-energy substances act as internal microscopic "terrorists" that destroy cells, stimulate the formation and development of cancer, leading to inflammation and autoimmune reactions.

Basically, free radicals oxidize the internal organs. Vitamin E is an antioxidant involved in "anti-corrosion treatment". It helps to surround and neutralize these internal "terrorists" while keeping tissue integrity, your cells and DNA intact.

Vitamin E and insulin. Vitamin E helps insulin counteract high blood sugar levels. This is known as potentiation. This process helps keep insulin from interfering and disrupting the action of testosterone. In a way, vitamin E helps keep insulin "at a distance" from testosterone.

Dosage and recommendations. Until age 50, take 100 IU; after 50 years - 200 IU of vitamin E daily. (1 IU vitamin E: biological equivalent of 2/3 mg d-α-tocopherol (natural tocopherol from food) or 1 mg dl-α-tocopherol acetate (synthetic tocopherol)). Vitamin E is especially recommended for men with overweight and at risk of developing diabetes.

(approximate availability in 100 g)

B vitamins

(B 1 (thiamine), B 2 (riboflavin), B 3 (niacin), B 5 (pantothenic acid), B 6 (pyridoxine), B 9 ( folic acid), B 12 (cyanocobalamin))

The complex of vitamins of group B, which are considered together, are involved in more than 15,000 biological processes. Positive influence manifests itself:

• in the efficient formation of blood cells;
• normalization of nerve conduction;
• maintaining mental function;
• increased protection of the liver;
• efficient energy metabolism;
• normal digestion;
• improved distribution of nutrients;
• increased synthesis of testosterone;
• normal condition of hair, nails, skin and vision.

Dosage and recommendations. Take 100 mg of B vitamins daily. B-vitamin supplements are especially recommended for men who feel they will benefit from a multivitamin but would like to increase its effectiveness. The B-vitamin complex is especially recommended if you lead a busy lifestyle.

Table 1 - Vitamins to increase testosterone in men.

*The dosage of B vitamins is taken from Wikipedia.org, other dosages are according to the main source of the article.

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Date of: 2018-05-03 Views: 11 660 The largest part of Russia is located above the 42nd parallel, which leads to insufficient sunlight for the population. This also means vitamin D deficiency, as it is produced in the body only in the presence of sunlight. The situation is aggravated by the fact that people are indoors almost all day. The role of this vitamin cannot be overestimated, all body tissues need it, including testicular tissue in men. Although it is called a vitamin, in most situations it behaves like a hormone and is very important for sperm maturation, motility and quality. Improving the situation with vitamin D in the body of a man leads to.

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency

How to make up for vitamin D deficiency?

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