A recent study at Harvard University of almost 1,500 health professionals showed that the men with the highest blood levels of vitamin D also had the highest levels of Testosterone. In the 25% of men with the highest vitamin D levels, total and free Testosterone were on average 3 percent greater than the men with the lowest 25% of vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D, as well as being found in dietary sources, is also synthesised by an interaction between the skin and sunlight. The researchers did not find a seasonal variation in Testosterone, unlike they found with vitamin D. This could partly be attributed to the fact that at lower levels the association between vitamin D and Testosterone is linear, but not at higher levels of vitamin D. A certain level of vitamin D is required for optimal Testosterone metabolism, but levels beyond this do not stimulate supra-physiological levels. This is because vitamin D is one of the many links in the chain of synergy required to manufacture Testosterone. Beyond addressing a deficiency (in vitamin D), any extra vitamin D will not further raise Testosterone levels.
Higher levels of vitamin D are beneficial for other reasons though, so don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Also add to this that the majority of people in the higher latitudes of the Nothern Hemisphere are vitamin D deficient (ask your Doctor for a blood test to determine this), in which case you could probably assume you might need a little boost in that area, which will give you a 'boost' in others.
Reference:
Clinical Endocrinology. Volume 77, Issue 1, pages 106–112, July 2012
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