Can Vitamin D Cure ED?

Vitamin D is being touted on many websites as the latest “cure” for erectile dysfunction.

The idea is based on the fact that Vitamin D may increase testosterone. However, the association between Vitamin D and testosterone has not been proven. In fact, studies have yielded conflicting results.

A study conducted on 2011¹ concluded that “vitamin D supplementation might increase testosterone levels”

However, another study in 2018² found that “Vitamin D treatment had no effect on serum TT levels in middle-aged healthy men with low TT levels.”

The majority of cases of ED are not caused by a testosterone deficiency, and studies have shown that raising testosterone levels usually does not improve erectile dysfunction, even in men with Low T (See Does Low Testosterone Cause Erectile Dysfunction?).

If you’d like to be sure your getting enough Vitamin D for general health reasons, the best way to achieve this is by getting plenty of sunlight, and eating foods that are rich in vitamin D (fortified milk or juice, fatty fish, cheese, and egg yolks.

References

1. Pilz, S; Frisch, S; Koertke, H; Kuhn, J; Dreier, J; Obermayer-Pietsch, B;, Wehr, E; Zittermann, A. “Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men.” Hormone and Metabolic Research. March 2001; 43(3):223-5.
   <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154195>
2. Lerchbaum, E; Trummer, C; Theiler-Schwetz, V; Kollmann, M; Wölfler, M; Heijboer, A C; Pilz, S; Obermayer-Pietsch, B. “Effects of vitamin D supplementation on androgens in men with low testosterone levels: a randomized controlled trial.” Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. November 2018. 10.1007/s00394-018-1858-z.
   <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30460609>