Vitamin Benefits Male Sex Organs
Written By: Dr. Jan McBarren, Duke and The Doctor
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Published - Jun 3, 2011
It has long been observed that vitamin D is produced by the skin upon exposure to sunlight. For many years it was erroneously believed that if a person received 15 minutes of sunlight a day, their vitamin D levels were adequate. However the fallacy of that argument remains in that it takes more than just the sun to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D is originally manufactured by the skin, and then it is shuttled in an assembly line fashion through the liver and kidney to ultimately be formed as vitamin D3, cholecalciferol. Vitamin D3 is the active vitamin that circulates in the blood and is distributed to every cell in the body.
Since vitamin D production originally starts in the skin, it is not surprising to observe that people living in northern parts of the world make less vitamin D. Furthermore, it has long been observed that multiple sclerosis, which is a degeneration of the brain and spinal cord, is often associated with a vitamin D deficiency; interestingly enough, the incidence of multiple sclerosis occurs more in the northern hemisphere.
In Denmark and Norway (both in the northern hemisphere), the incidence of testicular cancer, as well as impaired semen quality, is the highest worldwide. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Growth and Reproduction studied the relationship between vitamin D and male reproductive health. The study examined 300 normal men, and showed a positive correlation between the percentage of motile sperm and serum vitamin D levels. Men with greater vitamin D levels have higher sperm motility and better fertility than men with lower levels. This vitamin D correlation and also the low vitamin D levels in Denmark and Norway may be the reasons why those countries have such an increased risk of poor reproductive health.
In conclusion, vitamin D3 is important for many bodily functions including the brain, the nervous system, skeletal system as well as the reproductive organs. It is important for both men and women alike to maintain optimum vitamin D3 levels.