Vitamin D, a secosteroid (pro)-hormone, has been traditionally considered as a key regulator of bone metabolism, and calcium and phosphorous homeostasis through a negative feedback with the parathyroid hormone.
The Importance of Vitamin D
Estrogen imbalance: Vitamin D deficiency may lead to lowered estrogen levels, which can cause depression, hot flashes, mood swings and more. Impaired immune system: Vitamin D deficiency may lead to an impaired immune system, putting women at an increased risk of infection and illness.
Vitamin D is actually a hormone that communicates with your other hormones, making it especially essential to help balance hormones. So, ensure you're getting enough vitamin D2 and D3 to ease and prevent hormonal fluctuations.
Highlights. The primary role of vitamin D is to regulate intestinal calcium absorption.
Genes associated with follicle growth were not significantly altered by vitamin D3. However, it increases expression of genes involved in the estrogen-biosynthesis. Further, estrogen concentrations in porcine granulosa cell-cultured media increased in response to vitamin D3.
Vitamin D and testosterone: Not just for men
Scientists have also observed a direct correlation between vitamin D and testosterone in women. In a recent cross-sectional study of women, researchers observed a positive, significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and total testosterone levels.
There really is a link between Vitamin D and Testosterone. One large-scale study showed a 30% increase in Total T after taking Vitamin D. Some data has even shown that just sunlight can increase Testosterone.
in a small sample size of 30 subjects observed that vitamin D deficiency is associated with lower thyroid levels [25]. In our study, we found that the odds of developing hypothyroidism were significantly higher among patients with intermediate and deficient levels of vitamin D.
In its active form, vitamin D increases progesterone and estrogen levels, maintains a healthy uterine lining, and reduces the risk of developing polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis.
Without it, you can experience hormonal imbalances such as: Estrogen imbalance. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to lower estrogen levels, which can cause depression, hot flashes, mood swings, and much more.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Vitamin D supplementation typically leads to the reductions in serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, as shown in normal weight individuals. Meanwhile, the dose of vitamin D supplementation for the suppression of PTH may differ in overweight and obese adults.
Recently, we discovered that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) is induced in T cells by progesterone. This finding connects the function of progesterone to that of vit. D and suggests that the two steroid hormones cooperate with each other for sequential and effective regulation of the immune system.
Low levels of vitamin D have also been associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and Graves' disease (GD). Impaired vitamin D signaling has been reported to encourage thyroid tumorigenesis [4,5,6].
Having inadequate levels of vitamin D may correlate with unintentional weight gain. A study on women over the age of 65 found that participants with a lower vitamin D level experienced more weight gain. A systematic review of 23 different studies found similar associations between vitamin D deficiency and obesity.
It's also worth mentioning here that vitamin D is thought to be able to activate the synthesis of serotonin, a neurotransmitter and hormone that, similar to dopamine, can help to improve your mood.
Vitamin D stimulates hair follicles to grow, and so when the body does not have enough, the hair may be affected. A vitamin D deficiency may also be linked to alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes patchy hair loss.
Now, vitamin D3 through research has shown that it is increasing vitamin D3 levels has been associated with increased testosterone levels.
Yes, getting too much vitamin D can be harmful. Very high levels of vitamin D in your blood (greater than 375 nmol/L or 150 ng/mL) can cause nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, confusion, pain, loss of appetite, dehydration, excessive urination and thirst, and kidney stones.
One study found a “positive correlation” between vitamin D and estrogen levels. Women with lower amounts of vitamin D tended to have lower estrogen levels, whereas those with higher amounts had more estrogen in their system. A recent study, however, disagrees, linking high levels of vitamin D to lower estrogen levels.
More recently, a study in the journal Nutrients found that soccer players who were exposed to 10 days of sun and six weeks of Vitamin D supplementation had significantly higher levels of testosterone (5).
Extremely high vitamin D levels are harmful and can cause nausea, vomiting, confusion, excessive thirst and kidney stones. Vitamin D supplements can interact with certain medications, so check with your doctor before starting one.
In general, the two main causes of vitamin D deficiency are: Not getting enough vitamin D in your diet and/or through sunlight. Your body isn't properly absorbing or using vitamin D.