Vitamin D Benefits and Usage For Mens and Womens. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that benefits men and women alike. This fat-soluble vitamin promotes a number of important functions in the body, including reducing inflammation and improving bone health.
This nutrient can be obtained through foods, such as eggs and fatty fish, or by exposure to sunlight. Supplements are also available.
Increases Muscle Strength
Vitamin D is primarily known for its role in bone health, but research has shown that it also benefits muscle function. This is due to the fact that skeletal muscle has vitamin D receptors.
It is a secosteroid hormone that has several important functions in the body, including regulating calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. It also has an important immunoregulatory effect on a variety of cells and tissues in the body, particularly immune cells and skeletal muscle fibers.
Activation of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in skeletal muscle has multiple effects, including enhancement of movement of myosin over actin filaments and augmentation of release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. These actions are thought to be responsible for decreased fall risk in the elderly, improved muscle strength and reduced injury rates.
Reduces Inflammation
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient that your body makes when you spend time in the sun. It can also be found in foods like fatty fish, beef, and egg yolks.
In lab studies, it’s been shown to reduce inflammation in the cells of your body. This can lead to less pain and help with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
In a double-blind, randomized trial, we examined whether supplemental vitamin D reduces inflammatory markers and NFkB activity in overweight/obese adults with low vitamin D levels (25(OH)D 50 nmol/L). Participants were randomized to receive an initial bolus of 100,000 IU of vitamin D followed by 4,000 IU of cholecalciferol daily for 16 weeks.
Improves Brain Function
Vitamin D is a key part of the body’s metabolic process. It helps to maintain healthy bones and muscles and improves immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular function.
It is also important for the central nervous system, and studies have found that a deficiency in vitamin D may cause brain damage and cognitive decline. In addition, it has been linked to mental health disorders like schizophrenia.
New research suggests that vitamin D deficiency may interfere with a type of brain “scaffolding” that supports the neurons in the hippocampus, an area that is crucial for memory formation. This discovery could lead to new treatments for brain conditions that impact memory.
Increases Sperm Production
The vitamin D receptor is found throughout the body, including in the testis. It’s thought that vitamin D supplements can increase sperm production and improve sperm motility.
Vitamin D improves sperm quality by reducing the levels of oxidative stress markers that damage sperm and contribute to infertility. These oxidative stress markers include polyunsaturated fatty acids, 4-Hydroxynonenal and 3-Nitrotyrosine.
A randomized clinical trial has shown that Vitamin D supplementation with calcium improves semen quality and hormonal imbalances in men with impaired semen quality and low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. In this study, 330 infertile men were screened to participate in a single-center, triple-blind, randomized trial. They were given cholecalciferol 300,000 IU initial, then 1400 IU daily and 500 mg of calcium for 150 days. They had a lower rate of infertility and more healthy semen than the placebo group.
Prevents Osteoporosis
Vitamin D plays a key role in preventing osteoporosis, which is brittle bone disease. Osteoporosis can lead to fractures that cause pain, disability, decreased quality of life and a higher risk of death.
Vitamin D Benefits and Usage For Mens and Womens . As you age, your body breaks down bone at a faster rate than it builds new bone. Without enough calcium in your diet, this can lead to osteoporosis and weak bones that break easily.
In women after menopause, a combination of calcium and vitamin D can help build strong bones. However, it is unclear whether calcium or vitamin D alone can prevent fractures.