Can Vit D supplements dramatically increase Test?

[SD3000]

Was doing some research and found some articles stating that taking up to 10000 IU a day of D3 could raise test scores as much 300-400 on free test scale.

This sounds too good to be true and the articles were not clinical.

Can any of the Vets here provide any valididity to this claim?

[unscarred]

I can let you know in about a month. I literally just started 10,000iu's per day this morning.

[SD3000]

Thanks, would love to hear your results.

[steroid.com 1]

I have read reports that D3 can increase Testosterone serum levels by as much as 25% in men and that's a fact.

Not all men are going to respond like that but there is enough empirical evidence that it will increase serum levels to some extent.

All men should take D3 for many health reasons.

gd

[OdinsOtherSon]

I was given a script for D3, 1.25mg once a week for 8 weeks. My D3 was way low...like 22ng/mL on a range of 32-100ng/mL kinda low. Also was given 4 weeks of adex, 1mg a week for 4 weeks to get E2 which was 46pg/mL down. Total T was 393ng/dL , range 280-1070, shbg was 45nmol/L, range 13-71, free test was 65pg/mL, range 47-244, LH was 2.1MIU/mL, range 2-12.

Hoping the D has some benefit for me as well as the adex. We'll see in a month.

[unscarred]

I have read reports that D3 can increase Testosterone serum levels by as much as 25% in men and that's a fact.

Not all men are going to respond like that but there is enough empirical evidence that it will increase serum levels to some extent.

All men should take D3 for many health reasons.

gd

That's a pretty big increase.

Food for thought for you guys: I took a regular run of the mill generic multi-vitamin, eat foods rich in vitamin D fairly regularly, and spend regular time outdoors and my vitamin D levels still came back deficient at 29ng/mL in a range of 30-100ng/mL.

You may be doing yourself a favor to just go ahead and get it checked out, glad I did.

[SD3000]

I have decided to start 10,000 IU's a day also and will be getting tested again in 6 weeks, so between the three of us we should have some info to go on.

[M302_Imola]

When it comes to supplementing w/ D3 is the pill form effective? I've got some fish oil that has D3 in it as well (2000iu per pill) and figured that the fats in the fish oil made aid in absorption?

[kelkel]

Yes. D3 pill form is effective. I do both Drisdol which is a prescription D2 @ 50k IU x 1 per week as well as 5K D3 per day. Below are a few really interesting reads on vit D. It is arguable the most important vitamin (hormone) that you can take:


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154195

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22356136

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2010/...Members_01.htm

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2010/...olution_01.htm

[M302_Imola]

^^^Interesting reads there thanks Kel! So I'm assuming that women can benefit from vit. D3 supplementation as well...what is an acceptable dosage for women?

[kelkel]

Pretty much the same as for a man:

>100 ng/mL Excessive vitamin D (see note on toxicity)
50–70 ng/mL Proposed optimal range
30–50 ng/mL Suboptimal
<30 ng/mL Deficient
<20 ng/mL Overt vitamin D deficiency
<10 ng/mL Seriously deficient

[SD3000]

Thanks for the info Guys. Definitely going to give it a shot now!

[unscarred]

My doc put me on 5,000iu's twice per day of Metagenics D3. He said it was the most bioavailable form of D3 you can get. They come in little yellow soft gel pills and kind of look like little mini fish oil pills. For what it's worth, you might look into asking your doctor about the Metagenics brand if D3 is an issue for you because I believe it's prescription only D3.

[Novanut]

I think you can get the Metagenics brand OTC:
http://m.luckyvitamin.com/p-28673-me...u-120-softgels

[unscarred]

I think you can get the Metagenics brand OTC:

Hey good huntin'. There ya go. That's the stuff right there. I probably mistakenly took it as script only just because my doc wrote a script for it. Thanks Nova

[FRDave]

You can get Now branded D3 for 1/3rd the price and its the same exact form/source. At 8,000iu per day my levels went from 28 to 56. I have recently upped it to 12,000iu but have yet to get updated blood work.

Cheap and works :-)

[TMan96]

Pretty much the same as for a man:

>100 ng/mL Excessive vitamin D (see note on toxicity)
50-70 ng/mL Proposed optimal range
30-50 ng/mL Suboptimal
<30 ng/mL Deficient
<20 ng/mL Overt vitamin D deficiency
<10 ng/mL Seriously deficient

When I had my last blood work my levels were at 80.1 NG/ml. I am taking 10,000 currently. Should I be cutting back a little.?

[kelkel]

I think it's perfect. Take a good multi as well.

[Lifted1]

You can get Now branded D3 for 1/3rd the price and its the same exact form/source.

+1. i use NOW brand for all my supps...fish oil, multi's and vit d3. solid company!

[kelkel]

I use some of their products myself. Specifically MSM Powder.

[Lifted1]

Ive been using 6k per day of vit d3, but after reading the articles you posted kel im going to bump to 11k per day (10k + 1k from multi). Question is would it be better to split the dose 6k am/5k pm or just all 11k am? Tia

[kelkel]

I have not read anything indicating that splitting it makes a difference. Main thing though is to take it with a large meal if possible. Be sure to test your level.

[torrential]

Don't forget to balance D with A (palmitate, not beta carotene) and K2. The three work together throughout multiple metabolic processes. There is evidence that reports of A toxicity are actually related to relatively insufficient D and vice versa: D toxicity symptoms may be expressions of relatively insufficient A. Among other things, K2 ensures the calcium recovered by D goes to the bones rather than soft tisues such as heart valves.

Kel, do you find the D2 to be beneficial? I've seen reports of poor conversion rates.

[unscarred]

I have not read anything indicating that splitting it makes a difference. Main thing though is to take it with a large meal if possible. Be sure to test your level.

My doc actually has on the script for me to split my 10,000iu into 5,000iu twice per day specifically on an empty stomach. The reason? I am not certain. I figure it was split up for absorption reasons. I was, however, curious about the empty stomach part and as to why this would be recommended. I would think one would get better absorption of a fat soluble vitamin...you know, with actual fat in your digestive track. I need to ask him about this.

[Lifted1]

gotcha kel. i take everything after breakfast which is one of my bigger meals so thatll work. @ torrential, thanks for the info...my multi says 10,000 iu's per serving of vit A (60% as beta-carotene and 40% as retinyl palmitate). they also have 80 mcg of vit k as menaquinone and phytonadione.

[kelkel]

Well, he's the doc. But it's a fat-soluble vitamin and best absorbed with food. Read the link below and save the site to your fav's. It's one of the better, unbiased vitamin sites around, IMO. Very comprehensive.

http://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+D/#howtotake

[M302_Imola]

+1. i use NOW brand for all my supps...fish oil, multi's and vit d3. solid company!

love Now brand as well!

[flatscat]

Nice thread guys.

[unscarred]

Just wanted to update I've been taking my vitamin D now with my protein+fat meals. I've noticed zero difference feeling or stomach-wise whether I take it with food or not and every resource I read other than my doctor prescribes to take it with a meal as it is a fat-soluble vitamin. I remember studying the cholesterol and vitamin D hormonal pathways in my graduate level biochemistry course even myself. These doc's sometimes, I tell ya what...

[M302_Imola]

Thought I would add some Vit. D3 real world (no bloodwork) results to this thread. Up until 4 weeks ago I had only been supplementing w/ 4,000iu D3 when I read on here at my bodyweight (205 lbs.) 10,000iu D3 was a more suitable dose. Note: I'm not on trt. Well every since increasing to 10,000iu (6,000iu morn, 4,000iu evening) I've felt more energy, better performance in the gym, and more libido. My gf actually commented the past couple times we've had sex that my dick was super hard! Anyhow, supplementing with vit. D3 and finding the optimal dosage can be VERY benefitual!

[MyteeJ]

I too bumped up my vitamin D from 2000 IU to 8,000 and I am getting another 2,000 IU from other supplements (Calcium and Natures Greens).

i take the bulk of my vitamins right before a large breakfast.

I will post results once I get my next BW.

[M302_Imola]

I too bumped up my vitamin D from 2000 IU to 8,000 and I am getting another 2,000 IU from other supplements (Calcium and Natures Greens).

i take the bulk of my vitamins right before a large breakfast.

I will post results once I get my next BW.

Yeah I've been using a fish oil/vit. D3 combo...each fish oil pill has 2000iu D3. So I take 3 in the morn and two at night both with meals containing plenty of fats. I believe the fats from the fish oil aids in vit. D3 absorption.

[kelkel]

Yeah I've been using a fish oil/vit. D3 combo...each fish oil pill has 2000iu D3. So I take 3 in the morn and two at night both with meals containing plenty of fats. I believe the fats from the fish oil aids in vit. D3 absorption.

^^Exactly! Read this link. 4th paragraph down. I've put this site out before and really feel it is one of the best, unbiased vitamin sites available.


http://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+D/

kel

[MyteeJ]

^^Exactly! Read this link. 4th paragraph down. I've put this site out before and really feel it is one of the best, unbiased vitamin sites available.


http://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+D/

kel

IM - Need to find some of that fish oil/d combo to cut the number of pills I take a day down.

Kel - thanks as always for the good info.

[kelkel]

Save the site Mytee. Reading their report on Creatine as well...

[MyteeJ]

Interested to see Creatine info.

My experience with it has been good. Been using it since the 90's and results have been consistently positive.

Currently - i am adding a teaspoon to drinks before and after workouts on lifting days.

I have heard a few guys on here that seem against it but I'm not sure why. Supposedly it causes bloating / water retention but that hasn't been the case with me.

[jasondd1]

Creatine forces water into the muscle and expands it.

[MyteeJ]

With that comes better distribution of protein to muscles also, correct? I was under the impression that's where the increased strength and improved recovery comes from.

[M302_Imola]

^^Exactly! Read this link. 4th paragraph down. I've put this site out before and really feel it is one of the best, unbiased vitamin sites available.


http://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+D/

kel

Good stuff...thanks Kel!

[OdinsOtherSon]

^^Exactly! Read this link. 4th paragraph down. I've put this site out before and really feel it is one of the best, unbiased vitamin sites available.


http://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+D/

kel

x2. Thanks kel....great site