Specific Vitamin D Benefits Just For Men

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps you build and maintain healthy bones along with keeping your immune system healthy (via Mindbodygreen). If you're a man, there may be another reason to add this supplement to your diet. Recent studies have found that adequate levels of this vitamin support fertility and reproductive health in men. A review from 2020 found that vitamin D may do this by improving sperm motility. Additionally, a 2021 study discovered that erectile function requires an adequate amount of vitamin D in the body.

Men who are looking to build muscle also want to make sure they have enough of this vitamin in their system. Vitamin D is crucial for various parts of the body that regulate muscle growth and development. It is also required that you have a certain amount of vitamin D to keep adequate muscle mass as you get older. Both of these benefits are great reasons for men to keep track of their vitamin D intake.

According to Healthline, about 40% of Americans do not get enough vitamin D. Fortunately, there are many ways you can increase your intake of this vitamin. The easiest way is to take a supplement. It is recommended that people from 1 to 70 years old get 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D each day (via Mayo Clinic).

You can also get more vitamin D through sunlight. Our bodies naturally produce ultraviolet B (UVB) rays when sunlight hits our skin (via Harvard Health). However, it is difficult to get enough sunlight during the winter months to reach adequate levels in your body, especially if where you live is far from the equator. Finally, many foods contain some vitamin D naturally (via Harvard Health). You can find this vitamin in fatty fish like salmon, swordfish, and tuna, as well as in cod liver oil, egg yolks, cheese, and beef liver. You can also find many types of milk and juice that have been fortified with vitamin D.