Vitamin K is a lesser known but extremely important micronutrient. And emerging research now suggests that it may also help naturally increase low testosterone levels in men. But what does the science say so far? Can vitamin K truly give your testosterone a lift? Let’s analyze the clinical evidence.
First, why does testosterone matter for men’s health? Testosterone helps power everything from muscle building, bone density and red blood cell production to libido, fertility, and cardio-metabolic health. So maintaining youthful testosterone levels as men age confers wide ranging health benefits (1).
Now can increasing intake of vitamin K help get low testosterone levels trending upwards again? Here’s an overview of findings:
Vitamin K Activates Testosterone Optimizing Enzymes
Several key enzymes in the body require vitamin K to become activated before they can facilitate essential chemical processes. These vitamin K dependent proteins assist with regulating inflammation, bone mineralization, vascular health and more.
Remarkably, recent science now shows that vitamin K also activates enzymes directly involved in testosterone production. Namely, it optimizes the function of two enzymes called 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) and 5α-reductase enzymes.
What do these enzymes do? 17β-HSD enzymes convert weaker androgens like DHEA into active, bioavailable testosterone. And 5α-reductase enzymes convert T into its more potent DHT form which drives major male health functions. By powering up these enzymes, vitamin K ensures optimal testosterone synthesis and activity (2).
Clinical Trials Confirm Vitamin K Boosts Low T
But what about actual human studies – do they back vitamin K’s testosterone optimizing capacity? Absolutely…
One major placebo controlled trial had healthy men with adequate vitamin K intake (K1 form) take daily K2 supplements or placebo. After just 4 weeks the vitamin K group saw substantial T level increases – while the placebo group remained unchanged (3).
Another trial focused on vitamin K and K2 deficiency. They found that men with below average K2 levels had much lower testosterone than optimal. However after vitamin K2 supplementation, significant elevations in total and free testosterone were noted in just 2-4 weeks (4)!
The science shows that by powering up those key hormone regulating enzymes, vitamin K uniquely helps facilitate boosted testosterone synthesis and bioactivity. And the clinical results in deficient men confirm vitamin K’s potent ability to correct low testosterone.
Maximizing Testosterone Levels With Vitamin K
To leverage vitamin K for optimizing male hormones and health:
– Ensure adequate K1 intake from leafy greens like kale, spinach, etc
– Supplement daily with 50-150mcg of MK-7 form vitamin K2
– Stack with zinc, magnesium and vitamin D3 for greater efficacy
– Get bloodwork after 3 months to confirm T levels improve
So the emerging data indicates that increasing your vitamin K1 consumption from whole foods, plus adding a vitamin K2 supplement provides natural T boosting effects for men. Correcting insufficiencies and activating those essential enzymes pays testosterone elevating dividends.
References:
1) https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/testosterone-levels-by-age
2) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28471760/
3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4559632/
4) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18445768/
