How I Cured My Old Age ED

[John Dough]

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/9/1202

"Magnesium is a critical mineral in the human body and is involved in 80% of known metabolic functions. It is currently estimated that 45% of Americans are magnesium deficient, a condition associated with disease states like hypertension, diabetes, and neurological disorders, to name a few. Magnesium deficiency can be attributed to common dietary practices, medications, and farming techniques, along with estimates that the mineral content of vegetables has declined by as much as 80 - 90% in the last 100 years.

Magnesium deficiency dietary risk factors (e.g., high soda, coffee, and processed food ingestion); using medications known to affect magnesium (e.g., diuretics, antacids, oral contraceptives); with disease states (e.g., ischemic heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis); with clinical symptoms (e.g., leg cramps, sleep disorder, and chronic fatigue)".

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786912/

"Magnesium is necessary for the functioning of over 300 enzymes in humans, with 90% of total body magnesium being contained in the muscles and bones. The evidence in the literature suggests that subclinical magnesium deficiency is rampant and one of the leading causes of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and early mortality around the globe, and should be considered a public health crisis. Various studies have shown that most people need an additional 300 MG of magnesium per day in order to lower their risk of developing numerous chronic diseases. Good dietary sources of magnesium include nuts, dark chocolate and unrefined whole grains.

A French study on 2373 subjects (4 - 82 years of age) noted that 71.7% of men and 82.5% of women had an inadequate magnesium intake. Magnesium deficiency has been found in 84% of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Among apparently healthy university students in Brazil, 42% were found to have subnormal magnesium status. Over 42% of young (aged 15 - 18 years) sportsmen (volleyball players and rowers) are magnesium-deficient the study concluded.

The American diet is low in magnesium, and high in protein and phosphorus. Excess calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D may also lead to increased magnesium loss increasing magnesium requirements. The most dramatic change that has occurred since the early 1900's has been a reduction in magnesium intake, going from around 500 MG / day to an average of 250 MG / day. Thus, the calcium: magnesium ratio has increased from approximately 2:1 to 5:1, and the phosphate: magnesium ratio has increased from 1.2:1 to around 7:1. The increase in dietary phosphate has come from many food items but especially processed meats, as well as from phosphoric acid found in soft drinks. Supplementing with calcium can lead to magnesium deficiency, and oversupplementing with vitamin D may lead to magnesium deficiency and hence increase the risk of arterial calcifications".

[John Dough]

I should have mentioned that I was writing about TRT (testosterone replacement therapy). Aromatase Inhibitors are very tricky and powerful with their own side effects and really meant for women, especially women with some female cancers that need to have their Estrogen lowered. True that as we age, T goes down and the E goes up which has the effects that we don't like as mentioned and also including becoming a grumpy old guy. If you have your T levels checked and they are low then TRT is definitely worth trying. Just don't do more than what the doctor prescribes.

Yes there are side effects to such things. I have had unfavorable side effects from herbs. Now I prefer to focus on basic nutrition in the form of vitamins and minerals; things that are essential nutrients. The research I quoted points out that ginko and ginseng increase estrogen. Some guys might be taking those. The other suggestions of sleep, exercise, nutrition and reducing alcohol are reasonable. I believe that low testosterone is often caused by nutritional deficiencies, in particular zinc and vitamin D3. If that is true, then it would make more sense to supplement those rather than doing testosterone replacement therapy. Likewise, it would be better to supplement zinc to inhibit aromatase instead of using aromatase inhibitors, which the quoted study says "don't have that great of an effect" and would likely have side effects, as you mentioned. Many men take those natural inhibitors quoted in the article. I was trying to point out that they wouldn't help much and that zinc would probably work better.

Testosterone naturally decreases as men age, while estrogen increases.
Zinc is the number one inhibitor and commonly a nutrient that is deficient in men and women.

It is well known that older people are more prone to being deficient in vitamin B12 and D3. Studies show they are also deficient in K2. My theory is that declining testosterone and increasing estrogen might be due to simple nutritional deficiencies. Here is evidence that zinc is also deficient in older people.

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep21850

"In adults, highly significant inverse correlations between zinc concentration and age were observed. A considerable proportion of (Japanese) elderlies (20% or more) were found to have marginal to severe zinc deficiency. A study conducted in five European countries reported zinc deficiency in 31% of people over 60 years of age. These findings indicate that elderly individuals are prone to zinc deficiency, even in developed countries".

[ChuchoLoco]

https://www.healthline.com/health/estrogen-in-men

"Testosterone is the most significant hormone to male sexual development and function. But estrogen needs to stay in balance with testosterone to help control sex drive, the ability to have an erection, and the production of sperm. Testosterone naturally decreases as men age, while estrogen increases. Increased estrogen levels can affect the balance of hormones that are needed to help get an erection and stay erect.

Substances that can raise your estrogen levels include: certain antibiotics, herbs or other natural substances, such as gingko or ginseng, phenothiazines (a medication used for mental health conditions). Some health conditions can raise your estrogen levels, such as: stress, weight gain or obesity, diseases that affect the liver.

Theoretically aromatase inhibitors which keep an enzyme known as aromatase from turning hormones called androgens into estrogen should work, but research shows that they don't have that great of an effect. Aromatase inhibitors are also available in natural forms, such as wild nettle root, maca, and grapeseed extract. Pomegranates are high in estrogen-blocking phytochemicals. Staying in shape can also keep your estrogen levels low: work out for about 15 to 30 minutes per day, and increase the time as you feel comfortable. Switch it up: do cardio one day, strength the next, and so on".

https://www.letsgetchecked.com/artic...trogen-in-men/

"symptoms of high estrogen in men can include: Weight gain, Erectile dysfunction, Low sex drive, Infertility, Enlargement of breast tissue, Depression, Loss of energy, Decrease in muscle mass. As men age, it is possible for the enzyme aromatase to cause estrogen to spike and testosterone to decrease in volume.

There are some lifestyle changes that may potentially help in lowering estrogen levels, these include: Incorporate magnesium and B vitamins into your diet, Try adding fresh and organic foods to your everyday diet whenever possible, Get the right amount of sleep, Decrease stress levels, Stick to a healthy weight".

https://thecompounder.com/increased-estrogen-in-men/

"aromatase converts certain amounts of testosterone into estradiol (an estrogen). With aging, a man's body will produce larger amounts of aromatase. Larger amounts of aromatase mean more conversion of testosterone to estradiol. All fat cells contain aromatase, so an increase in fat cell population will cause an increase in the conversion of testosterone into estrogen. Zinc inhibits the levels of aromatase in the body. If zinc levels are inadequate, the levels of aromatase rise. Without zinc, the pituitary gland cannot release the luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones that stimulate the testes to produce testosterone".

https://www.planetnaturopath.com/reduce-high-estrogen/

"a couple of ways to reduce aromatase enzyme activity like decreasing body fat, reducing insulin resistance, and increasing the intake of phytoestrogens. Another way to reduce the aromatase enzyme is by supplementing with the following nutrients: Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium. Zinc is the number one inhibitor and commonly a nutrient that is deficient in men and women. It is recommended to take 20 - 50 MG of zinc a day, depending on the person. Reducing alcohol consumption can help reduce estrogen levels in men".

I should have mentioned that I was writing about TRT (testosterone replacement therapy). Aromatase Inhibitors are very tricky and powerful with their own side effects and really meant for women, especially women with some female cancers that need to have their Estrogen lowered. True that as we age, T goes down and the E goes up which has the effects that we don't like as mentioned and also including becoming a grumpy old guy. If you have your T levels checked and they are low then TRT is definitely worth trying. Just don't do more than what the doctor prescribes.

[John Dough]

The thing with T is that the male body converts it to estradiol or estrogen and when T levels get too high so does the conversion and too much estrogen can really screw things up so check out your estradiol levels too.

https://www.healthline.com/health/estrogen-in-men

"Testosterone is the most significant hormone to male sexual development and function. But estrogen needs to stay in balance with testosterone to help control sex drive, the ability to have an erection, and the production of sperm. Testosterone naturally decreases as men age, while estrogen increases. Increased estrogen levels can affect the balance of hormones that are needed to help get an erection and stay erect.

Substances that can raise your estrogen levels include: certain antibiotics, herbs or other natural substances, such as gingko or ginseng, phenothiazines (a medication used for mental health conditions). Some health conditions can raise your estrogen levels, such as: stress, weight gain or obesity, diseases that affect the liver.

Theoretically aromatase inhibitors which keep an enzyme known as aromatase from turning hormones called androgens into estrogen should work, but research shows that they don't have that great of an effect. Aromatase inhibitors are also available in natural forms, such as wild nettle root, maca, and grapeseed extract. Pomegranates are high in estrogen-blocking phytochemicals. Staying in shape can also keep your estrogen levels low: work out for about 15 to 30 minutes per day, and increase the time as you feel comfortable. Switch it up: do cardio one day, strength the next, and so on".

https://www.letsgetchecked.com/artic...trogen-in-men/

"symptoms of high estrogen in men can include: Weight gain, Erectile dysfunction, Low sex drive, Infertility, Enlargement of breast tissue, Depression, Loss of energy, Decrease in muscle mass. As men age, it is possible for the enzyme aromatase to cause estrogen to spike and testosterone to decrease in volume.

There are some lifestyle changes that may potentially help in lowering estrogen levels, these include: Incorporate magnesium and B vitamins into your diet, Try adding fresh and organic foods to your everyday diet whenever possible, Get the right amount of sleep, Decrease stress levels, Stick to a healthy weight".

https://thecompounder.com/increased-estrogen-in-men/

"aromatase converts certain amounts of testosterone into estradiol (an estrogen). With aging, a man's body will produce larger amounts of aromatase. Larger amounts of aromatase mean more conversion of testosterone to estradiol. All fat cells contain aromatase, so an increase in fat cell population will cause an increase in the conversion of testosterone into estrogen. Zinc inhibits the levels of aromatase in the body. If zinc levels are inadequate, the levels of aromatase rise. Without zinc, the pituitary gland cannot release the luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones that stimulate the testes to produce testosterone".

https://www.planetnaturopath.com/reduce-high-estrogen/

"a couple of ways to reduce aromatase enzyme activity like decreasing body fat, reducing insulin resistance, and increasing the intake of phytoestrogens. Another way to reduce the aromatase enzyme is by supplementing with the following nutrients: Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium. Zinc is the number one inhibitor and commonly a nutrient that is deficient in men and women. It is recommended to take 20 - 50 MG of zinc a day, depending on the person. Reducing alcohol consumption can help reduce estrogen levels in men".

[Pute Nut]

It's not about how white your teeth are. It's about how smooth and slippery they feel against your tongue. If your teeth feel smoother against your tongue after you brush them or go to the dentist for cleaning, then you have calcium plaque build up. That is an indication that you need vitamin K2 and / or zinc.

Big ups for your information in this thread. I have switched from K2-4 to K2-7 and the difference is noticeable already, teeth are getting smoother. Good stuff.

[ChuchoLoco]

Unfortunately, T levels are not always the issue, but good to get tested.

The thing with T is that the male body converts it to estradiol or estrogen and when T levels get too high so does the conversion and too much estrogen can really screw things up so check out your estradiol levels too.

[Luminous]

Unfortunately, T levels are not always the issue, but good to get tested.

I'm in the middle of moving to a different country but once I am established I will for sure get a doctor's appointment and do some tests on my T levels. Don't want to get on TRT since I am still young (33), but it's not off the table.

[John Dough]

My teeth have always been spotless, so much so that I've gotten compliments from women about them more than once. So maybe it either doesn't work as a test for me, or I am not lacking magnesium, I don't know. It also helps that I've never drank coffee or tea regularly, so my teeth are very white.

It's not about how white your teeth are. It's about how smooth and slippery they feel against your tongue. If your teeth feel smoother against your tongue after you brush them or go to the dentist for cleaning, then you have calcium plaque build up. That is an indication that you need vitamin K2 and / or zinc. The magnesium requirement is mostly after you take K2 and your teeth feel so smooth when you run your tongue over them, that you feel like you never need to brush your teeth. I noticed smoother teeth two weeks after starting vitamin K2 MK7. Maybe your vitamin K2 level was already sufficient so you didn't notice any difference. Maybe your zinc level was too low so it didn't work when you took vitamin K2.

Recently I went to a regular date with a young woman and did not expect to have sex with her on the 1st date, so I had not taken cialis.

But she was hornny, so we went for it. When she gave me a blowjob it went hard but just with putting the condom on it before penetration, it went limp and I could not perform on the night. We still spent the night together, and next day I felt a morning wood, went without condom inside her (she was happy about it, even begged me to cum inside) and this time I could have regular sex un-assisted.

So there was a big difference between night and day and after doing my own research, I think my ED might be rooted in low testosterone. Because normally, men have the highest testosterone on the morning and the lowest on the night. This might explain why magnesium is not working for me too much.

I'm in the middle of moving to a different country but once I am established I will for sure get a doctor's appointment and do some tests on my T levels. Don't want to get on TRT since I am still young (33), but it's not off the table.

There are two factors at play here. One is that testosterone is higher in the morning, which is the cause of morning wood. The second is the condom.

If you get your testosterone levels checked, also get your vitamin D level checked. Vitamin D deficiency is a common cause of low testosterone. Unfortunately, low testosterone and vitamin D are so common now that the "normal range" is based on average, rather than optimal levels. If you are lower than the high end of the so called "normal range", consider yourself deficient. Zinc deficiency is another possible cause of low testosterone. Try taking 50 MG of zinc and at least 5,000 iu of vitamin D3 every day for a couple of months. Also keep taking magnesium since it is used up by the body in converting vitamin D3 to the active form. Some reports suggest that a full body sun exposure in summer can give you up to 25,000 iu of vitamin D3 each time. As you build up a suntan the amount would lessen and as summer ends it would also lessen. However, at your age that might be a safe upper limit for a few weeks.

Many men lose their erection when putting on a condom. Sometimes this is psychological. Sometimes it is because the condom is too tight. Both of these issues can be solved by not using a condom or by using a female condom. The woman inserts the female condom before sex. That way you don't have to stop in the middle of the action to put one on and there is nothing squeezing your penis. The female condom also allows the man to feel a sensation of friction, which the male condom eliminates. If the issue is just that the male condom is too tight, there are other sizes available if you order them online.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-...-i-need-906651

https://myonecondoms.co.uk/

https://www.onecondoms.com/pages/myone

https://pro.mysize-condoms.com/

https://mysize.de/

[Aureliano16]

It took me about one year after getting the smooth teeth effect before I could perform naturally without other assistance. Have you achieved the clean teeth effect from taking vitamin K2 MK7?

My teeth have always been spotless, so much so that I've gotten compliments from women about them more than once. So maybe it either doesn't work as a test for me, or I am not lacking magnesium, I don't know. It also helps that I've never drank coffee or tea regularly, so my teeth are very white.

Recently I went to a regular date with a young woman and did not expect to have sex with her on the 1st date, so I had not taken cialis.

But she was hornny, so we went for it. When she gave me a blowjob it went hard but just with putting the condom on it before penetration, it went limp and I could not perform on the night. We still spent the night together, and next day I felt a morning wood, went without condom inside her (she was happy about it, even begged me to cum inside) and this time I could have regular sex un-assisted.

So there was a big difference between night and day and after doing my own research, I think my ED might be rooted in low testosterone. Because normally, men have the highest testosterone on the morning and the lowest on the night. This might explain why magnesium is not working for me too much.

I'm in the middle of moving to a different country but once I am established I will for sure get a doctor's appointment and do some tests on my T levels. Don't want to get on TRT since I am still young (33), but it's not off the table.

[John Dough]

https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/514056

"In this study, we investigated whether adding vitamin D to daily tadalafil (Cialis) treatment would be beneficial in ED patients with VDD (vitamin D deficiency). The increase in median erectile function and sexual desire scores was significantly higher in group 2 (with D3) compared to group 1 (no D3). Conclusion: We found that adding vitamin D (4,000 IU vitamin D3) to 5 MG oral daily tadalafil treatment may have an additional positive effect on erectile function and sexual desire in ED patients with VDD".

https://www.mdlinx.com/article/vitam...study/lfc-1630

"researchers administered cholecalciferol (50,000 or 100,000 IU vitamin D3) either weekly, every 2 or 3 weeks, or monthly. They administered supplements to patients whose vitamin D levels dropped below 30 ng / ML.

The researchers found that higher levels of vitamin D were significantly associated with high values of total testosterone and positively associated with increased levels of erectile function.

In the subsample that received vitamin D supplementation, total and free testosterone levels increased and erectile function improved".

https://assets.researchsquare.com/fi...f?c=1653590288

"the current study's findings show that vitamin D supplementation had a significant positive effect on both men and women's sexual function".

[John Dough]

I have been consuming 400 MG magnesium daily for about 6 months and even thought I have noted a slight increase in my libido and especially a return of the ocassional morning wood, I am still not able to perform with a real woman without Cialis' support.

So when you started your magnesium intake you still continued using cialis / viagra at the beginning? How many years did it take for you to pefromr natural and not need ED drugs anymore?

It took me about one year after getting the smooth teeth effect before I could perform naturally without other assistance. Have you achieved the clean teeth effect from taking vitamin K2 MK7? If so, you are on your way to eventual improvement. It indicates that the decalcification process has started. If not, you should try a different brand of K2 MK7. Other sources of vitamin K2 are natto (Japanese fermented soybeans), goose liver (foie gras), emu oil, duck fat and high vitamin butter oil.

I would also suggest taking a zinc supplement, as it is also required for decalcification. Take about 10 MG per day long term. For a month or two you could take as much as 50 MG per day. You might find that also increases your libido. If you are deficient in zinc, you might notice increased libido in a week or two if taking 50 MG per day, or in a couple of months if taking 10 mg. Take it with food since it can cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach. If the smooth teeth effect slows down due to insufficient zinc, it only takes a few days of supplements to restore it. Zinc supplements can whiten and thicken your semen and increase sperm count if your zinc levels were low beforehand.

The magnesium supplements have multiple purposes. On a daily basis they act as a vasodilator and support normal body functions. Those general health improvements can be noticeable in a week or two. Once decalcification has begun and calcium is released from the arteries into the blood stream, magnesium is used up in the process of removing excess calcium from the blood and excreting it through the urine. That is the part that takes years for results and also requires zinc and vitamin K2.

I also recommend getting some sunshine or taking a vitamin D3 supplement. I found that very helpful and it only took one month of taking 2,000 iu per day before I noticed improved erections. Some supplements of vitamin D3 also have added K2. Read the label to ensure it is in the form of K2 MK7. Vitamin D3 can improve both libido and erections.

Giving up porn and masturbation can improve your erections in a few weeks or months. Your sensitivity will return, making it easier to maintain an erection during intercourse.

[Aureliano16]

A common cause of old age erectile dysfunction is clogged arteries due to calcium buildup. When I got that I searched for a cure. I found that vitamin K2 and magnesium are the solution. I took only one bottle of Vitamin K2 MK7 120 mcg per capsule per day. Since it is fat soluble, the liver stores it. Vitamin K2 tells the body where to put calcium (bones) and where to remove it (arteries and soft tissue). After that I took magnesium glycinate supplements on a daily basis for a few years, about 400 to 500 mg per day in divided doses. Magnesium is used up in the process of removing calcium deposits. Now in my sixties, I have reversed about 30 years of deteriorating erectile function. It took a few months to start noticing the difference and then gradually improved over the years.

I have been consuming 400 MG magnesium daily for about 6 months and even thought I have noted a slight increase in my libido and especially a return of the ocassional morning wood, I am still not able to perform with a real woman without Cialis' support.

So when you started your magnesium intake you still continued using cialis / viagra at the beginning? How many years did it take for you to pefromr natural and not need ED drugs anymore?

[John Dough]

Boosting sex-drive: not much we can do. The one thing known to work is to sleep longer hours. Testosterone peaks during REM sleep so not abusing things that suppress REM sleep (sleeping pills, cannabis etc.) is a good idea. Sleeping late is the only thing that has worked for me but it is not something I have much control over.

Things worth trying and that can do little harm are zinc, vitamin K2, Tribulus Terrestris, DIM. They can interfere with some medications though.

I haven't tried out Yohimbe yet. Yohombine is the pure compound, Yohimbe is the bark powder. Yohimbe is said to be the most efficient but I've read many supplements purporting to be yohimbe are derived from some other tree.

If your testosterone levels are low, you can increase them with adequate sleep, resistance exercise (weight lifting), reducing body fat, exposing your skin to sunlight (vitamin D3) and taking supplements of zinc and magnesium. If you can't sleep in, then go to bed earlier. A herb that is supposed to increase sex drive is Tongkat Ali, also known as Longjack. Increasing dopamine levels in the brain increases sex drive. There are various ways to do that, including l-tyrosine supplements, Mucuna Pruriens supplements (a type of tropical bean - aka velvet bean) and exercise, sleep and sunshine. I believe Longjack also works by increasing dopamine. Reducing sugar consumption is supposed to improve testosterone and dopamine levels.

I haven't tried Yohimbe. I heard it is difficult to get the right dose. Supposedly there is a fine line between an effective dose and an overdose, with nasty side effects. Before Viagra, Yohimbine HCL was the drug of choice for ED. It is available as Yohimbine HCL (the active ingredient) in standardized doses.

[Lamboos]

In previous posts I wrote about how supplements of vitamin K2 MK4 are synthetically produced and are proven by studies to not work, which confirms my personal experience. Supplements of vitamin K2 MK7 are naturally produced using fermentation with Natto bacteria and are proven to work, which also confirms my personal experience.

I had a similar experience with vitamin A supplements. They didn't seem to do me any good. Then I read an article by someone who was getting their levels tested while

The fact remains that we still understand very little about our bodies. The problem with lab based studies is that they are very one dimensional and often miss out on the complex interplay that happens between various elements in our bodies. The pharma companies just want to hype up some shit and scare monger people into buying shit they don't need and they make a fortune out of it. Our old diets and healthy eating habits have been replaced by modern junk and that's why people are sick these days. Your article about vitamin supplementation is pretty interesting. I had read an article some time back where they had found that people who took vitamin the supplements had little beneficial effect from them. The latest hypothesis is that vitamin the is actually not a vitamin itself but just a prehormone, which would make sense why people who took supplements found little effect. The theory is that the sun is the only real good source for it. It could be why many ancient civilizations stressed so much on sun worship and sun bathing etc.

Here is a link to the article - https://www.artofmanliness.com/healt...ght-vitamin-d/.

And a para from the article about vitamin D -.

Sunlight Increases Vitamin D Levels*

If youve spent any time reading health books or blogs, you know that sunlight allows our bodies to make vitamin D. Particularly, its the UVB rays in sunlight that kickstart vitamin D synthesis: your skin contains cholesterol, and when UVB strikes this epidermal cholesterol, a chemical reaction begins which turns it into vitamin D.*

Vitamin D isnt actually a vitamin. Its a prohormone (a precursor to a hormone) that the body uses to make all its hormones from insulin to testosterone.

Because of its integral role in hormonal health, low levels of vitamin D have been associated with a bevy of health issues, including:

Depression
Osteoporosis
Cancer
Low testosterone
Diabetes
Cardiac disease
Stroke

Its hard to get sufficient vitamin D from diet alone, as its only found in a few foods, like fatty fish. You could get vitamin D from an oral supplement rather than from the sun, but the latter source beats the former for several reasons: 1) The sun is free. 2) While its possible to dangerously overdose on supplemental vitamin D, its not possible to overdose on the version your body makes from the sun, as it shuts down the conversion process once it has enough. 3) As well explain below, while vitamin D itself is associated with positive health outcomes, the vitamin, apart from sunlight, may not in fact always be the operative factor in catalyzing these benefits.

Is It the Vitamin D or the Sunlight?

Because we spend less time outdoors than previous generations and were using more sunscreen, 43% of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency. Consequently, during the past few decades, many doctors and health experts have recommended that Americans take an oral vitamin D supplement. Up until a few years ago, I popped one myself every morning.*

But then I started reading studies that showed vitamin D supplementation actually doesnt do much for health.*

For example, our bodies need vitamin D to absorb calcium and mineralize our bones, which makes them denser and stronger. Yet a 2018 study showed that vitamin D supplementation didnt do anything to improve bone health.*

Some studies have shown an association between low vitamin D levels and increased risk of cancer, cardiac disease, and stroke. But the results of one of the largest and most rigorous studies of vitamin D ever conducted, in which the trials 25,871 participants received high doses of the vitamin for five years, found that it had no impact on these conditions.*

So whats going on here? If low levels of vitamin D are associated with poor health outcomes, increasing vitamin D levels through supplementation should improve health, right?

Some researchers are starting to make the case that weve confused causation with correlation on this issue. Instead of vitamin D being directly linked to improved health outcomes, it may be that sunlight itself is the thing thats providing all of those health benefits, while someones level of vitamin D is just a marker that theyre getting a sufficient amount of sunlight.*

It may seem like a surprising theory, but below well highlight research which shows that many of the health benefits we associate with vitamin D are more likely caused by the other health-improving effects of sunlight. So that again, vitamin D may just be a sign that youre getting enough sun to trigger those other beneficial reactions.

This isnt to say there are zero health benefits that are directly influenced by vitamin D alone. But what these studies suggest is that we should look deeper into claims saying that increasing vitamin D intake, particularly via an oral supplement, will necessarily lead to direct health improvements.

[XXL]

The one thing known to work is to sleep longer hours. Testosterone peaks during REM sleep so not abusing things that suppress REM sleep (sleeping pills, cannabis etc.) is a good idea. Sleeping late is the only thing that has worked for me but it is not something I have much control over.

Things worth trying and that can do little harm are zinc, vitamin K2, Tribulus Terrestris, DIM. They can interfere with some medications though.

I haven't tried out Yohimbe yet. Yohombine is the pure compound, Yohimbe is the bark powder. Yohimbe is said to be the most efficient but I've read many supplements purporting to be yohimbe are derived from some other tree.