Ah, it’s hard to beat sunbathing on the beach with a good company and a quality drink in your hand. And while we all love spending time on the beach, is there an actual correlation between sunlight and testosterone?
Yes, sunlight and testosterone are directly related to each other!
According to researchers, direct sunlight exposure stimulates vitamin D production.
And the great thing about that is that studies show that vitamin D deficiency can lower testosterone levels.
While more of this beautiful vitamin translates to higher T levels!
However, there’s still a plethora of theories circulating on the internet regarding exposure to sunshine and their effect on our T levels.
It’s finally time to put a rest to myths and legends about sunbathing and testosterone (just like I already did with Tribulus Terrestris) and we’ll use scientific evidence to find the truth.
So, if you want to know whether or not spending more time outside during those hot summer days will make you more masculine, make sure that you don’t skip the following paragraphs!
What’s The Connection Between Sunshine And Testosterone?
The relationship between these two is called Vitamin D.
Why Vitamin D you might ask?
First – because our bodies make it when exposed to sunlight.
Second – because this vitamin has been shown to play a role in increasing testosterone.
According to science, more Vitamin D equals to higher testosterone levels!
One particular study (1) examined the effects of supplementing with Vitamin D for one year and the results speak for themselves.
At the end of the clinical trial, those who supplemented with Vit. D experienced an increase in total, bioactive and free testosterone levels.
And if that’s not enough, Chinese researchers (2) have found that lower levels of Vitamin D were associated with hypogonadism (when your tested don’t produce enough T).
Hypogonadism stands for low testosterone thus if you have sufficient amounts of Vit. D in your body, you’ll most likely have plenty of testosterone coursing through your veins!
How Do We Acquire Vitamin D Then?
The easiest way to do so is by directly exposing your skin to sunlight.
But keep in mind that the light that comes through the windows in home, car etc. will NOT stimulate the production of Vitamin D in your body!
In fact, our skin synthesizes this fat-soluble vitamin only when it’s directly exposed to UVB (ultraviolet B) rays and coincidently.
These rays happen to be the ones that cause rather unpleasant things such as sunburns.
Subsequently, if you expose larger areas of your skin to UVB rays, your body will create even more Vitamin D.
And while the sunlight is the biggest stimulus of Vitamin D production in the body, you can also acquire some Vit. D through nutrition.
It’s mainly found in foods such as:
- Fatty fish (herring, mackerel, salmon etc.)
- Egg yolks
- Oysters
- Cod liver oil
- Mushrooms
Nonetheless, don’t forget that the best way to give more oomph to your natural Vit. D production is by directly receiving the UVB rays from the sun.
Just don’t forget to put some sunscreen on your skin and also not advanced to sunbath from 10 AM to 3 PM.
This is when the UVB rays are the strongest and if you’re not careful, you might face the consequences of sunburn.
What About Vitamin D Supplements Though?
Another effective way of ensuring that you’re getting enough Vitamin D is through supplements.
This is especially helpful if you live in a gloomy country where sunlight is a luxury.
Your best bet (apart from an adequate diet) would be to opt for a Vit. D supplement.
See Our Top Recommended Supplement With Vitamin D3 Here!
Now, there are lots of superb options when it comes to picking a quality Vitamin D supplement.
But as a general rule of thumb, try to find one that relies on Vitamin D3.
That’s because Vitamin D3 (a.k.a. cholecalciferol) is more potent and has greater bioavailability (it’s more easily absorbed) than its Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) counterpart.
How Much Vitamin D3 Do I Have To Take Daily?
Studies suggest (3) that anywhere from 400 to 800 UI per day is more than enough for most people (97.5% to be precise).
However, under certain conditions, you might need to up your Vit. D intake, such as:
- Overweight or obese individuals
- Those with Vitamin D deficiency
Another relevant research (4) shows that doses of 1120 to 1680 UI might be more appropriate for supporting adequate Vit. D levels in the blood.
On the other hand, those with insufficient amounts of this vitamin might need up to 5000 UI to achieve the same blood levels of Vitamin D.
If you’re concerned in any shape or form regarding how much Vitamin D you should be taking exactly, your best bet would be to consult your doctor.
Since this vitamin is fat-soluble, it won’t be excreted in your urine (like water-soluble vitamins) when you take excessive amounts of it, thus you shouldn’t overdose it.
Do Tanning Beds Increase Testosterone Though?
Yes, tanning beds (or sunbeds) have the potential to increase testosterone levels.
That’s because according to science (5) indoor UV tanning can effectively stimulate Vitamin D production in the body.
Also as you already know, adequate amounts of Vitamin D and higher testosterone levels go hand in hand.
However, remember that the same study mentions that there’s a risk of developing skin cancer when it comes to UV radiation.
The good news is that this risk is avoidable when the exposure to UV rays isn’t excessive, which should be the case with every tanning bed out there.
Conclusion
It’s crystal clear that spending more time in the sun will boost your Vitamin D levels and that will inevitably result in you having more testosterone in your body.
Here’s another great reason for you to spend more time at the beach, with a nice drink at hand and… so forth!
The great about boosting your T levels via sunlight is that It’s basically free and guys of all ages (even if you’re above 50) can benefit from the good old sunshine.
And if you’re older and looking for the best T booster, make sure to check my article that about the best testosterone boosters for men over 50.
Over to you now – do you enjoy sunbathing and if you do, did you know that it’s actually good for your masculinity?
Drop your answer by leaving a comment!
I've been fascinated by natural male hormone optimization since 2016. And ever since I've been going through boatloads of different meta-analyses and scientific data associated with increasing testosterone levels naturally. I hold a PhD degree in public health and have 10+ scientific publications on Google Scholar. Thus, in my collective work here you'll find helpful tricks, natural remedies, detailed product reviews (including stuff I've personally tried)... and more!