Lately, I have been getting my sun on during my lunch breaks and this summer weather in California. When it's over 90 degrees, I am out by the pool or the beach, depending on how much free time I have.

It makes a big difference to my mood, energy levels, and more... and a lot of it I contribute to Vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency is one of the more common nutrient deficiencies that occurs worldwide for every one. For men, however, Vitamin D is even more important when it comes to optimizing your testosterone levels.

In this post, we are going to explore Vitamin D and its connection to testosterone levels.

Let's dive in!

Sunlight, Vitamin D, and Testosterone

Vitamin D is an important micronutrient that aids in a variety of things: from immune health, bone health, wellbeing, and a plethora of other things. We get Vitamin D primarily from sunlight exposure or supplementation, but you can also get it from foods like salmon and egg yolks.

When it comes to testosterone production, men who get more Vitamin D typically have healthier testosterone levels. This was shown in a 2010 study where men with healthy levels of Vitamin D had higher testosterone levels. In addition, the participants in the study had peak levels of testosterone AND Vitamin D when sunlight was most prominent.

This means that you should try to get some daily sunlight exposure.

If you don't happen to get sunlight on some days due to time constraints or weather, consider keeping some Vitamin D supplements handy. It may help just as much as sunlight exposure can. In a 2011 study, men were either given Vitamin D or a placebo. The ones who supplemented with Vitamin D saw an increase in total and free testosterone.

Improving Your Vitamin D Intake

Getting enough Vitamin D will help you optimize or improve your testosterone levels. Here are some tips you can utilize to get an adequate amount of Vitamin D:

• Get some direct sunlight for 15-30 minutes per day. You may need more depending on whether or not you have a darker skin complexion.
• If direct sunlight exposure is limited to weather or time constraints, consider supplementing with Vitamin D3. 1000 IU is a good amount, but you should be in a good place with 3000 IU.
• Eat some fish. Fish like salmon have a decent amount of Vitamin D. Nothing beats sunlight exposure or supplementation, however.
• Get some sun during your lunch break. Lunch break is your time to grab some food and eat it while enjoying nature. You'll probably feel better after doing so too.
• Get some sun first thing in the morning. Go for a walk or enjoy the outdoors around 7 am, when the sun is on the rise. While you won't get a nice tan, you can get your daily sunlight exposure from it.
• We do recommend prioritizing outdoor sunlight, as there are additional benefits to direct sunlight over supplementation with Vitamin D.

Thank you for reading!

If you have any questions, comments, or additional tips you want to give for Vitamin D exposure or supplementation, feel free to email us at support@reforgedperformance.com, or follow us on Instagram.

Until next time, Reforged Warrior!