Should Men Take Vitamins / Multivitamins- What is Essential?
For men the rigors of physical activity, stress, and life in general mean we are always needing to take care of ourselves. Making sure we eat and sleep well are 2 of the most important steps. Sleep is easy to monitor but not our diets.
None of us are identical and as such we all have differing needs when it comes to nutrition. Many companies sell multivitamins, a kind of catch-all for the average male. But are they useful. Do men need to take vitamins?
If a man is eating a diet that has a healthy balance and provides all the nutritional requirements for his body then no, he does not. But given that most men fail to eat a perfectly balanced diet, then the answer is yes, he definitely does need to take vitamins.
What are the best vitamins for men?
- Vitamin C – Also known as ascorbic acid has an important role to play in keeping the cells of your body well protected, the main areas you will benefit from taking vitamin C are: Your skin, bones, cartilage, and blood vessels.
- Vitamin B-12 – This vitamin helps your body look after its nerve cells, also your blood cells, and help with the production of DNA, important when you body replaced old cells with new. It also helps prevent a type of anemia that can leave your body feeling tired and weak.
- Folate – Also from the vitamin B group. Folate or folic acid as it’s more commonly known is essential for the production of DNA and also for cell division.
- Zinc – This is important for producing proteins and for making DNA. It’s also important for our immune systems to fight off viruses and bacteria which can get into our bodies. For men, zinc is especially important as it helps to produce testosterone. Low testosterone in men can cause hair thinning, weight gain, loss of bone density, tiredness, loss of muscle density, and size as well as a loss of libido.
- Vitamin A – Is important for good vision as well as boosting immune and reproductive systems. It is also important for the body’s internal organs, helping them to function more smoothly.
- Iron – It is essential for our body to make hemoglobin, the protein in our blood that helps carry oxygen around our bodies from our lungs. It’s also needed for the production of hormones we need to regulate our bodies.
- Vitamin D – It helps us to regulate the calcium and phosphate levels in our bodies, which are, in turn, needed to keep out bones, teeth, and muscles healthy and strong.
What vitamins should a man take daily?
It is essential that men get enough vitamins each day up to the recommended daily amount (RDA). The first thing men need to do what trying to work out what vitamins they need is to assess their diet. After checking your diet, you can work out what vitamins you have consumed already and then you can check what vitamins you are missing and how much of each you then need to take ( Consult your doctor if you are unsure)
When checking your vitamin intake you need to be aware that some are water-soluble and will be passed out harmlessly from your body, while others are fat-soluble which means they can be stored in the body’s fatty tissues. Care must be taken if you are consuming more of these types of vitamins as they can have some toxic effects if you take more than your RDA on a regular basis.
Do you really need to take vitamins?
Yes, if your diet is lacking some essential vitamins and/or minerals then it is recommended you make up for the shortfall in your diet (with help from a qualified person if needed).
You may be feeling some of the very light symptoms of a vitamin deficiency but are not attributing it to that. You may feel tired at times, you may lose your focus more easily for no reason. You may have aches and your muscles feel sore even though you have not exercised. Your eyes get tired and you may not sleep as well as you would normally like to
Long term deficiencies can lead to some serious illnesses and make you more prone to injuries so it’s always better to make sure you are providing your body with all it needs to keep you as fit and healthy as possible.
Are men’s multivitamins worth it?
Depending on where you live you may or may not have access to vitamins which specifically cater to men. If you do then they are definitely worth considering as they are tailored to the needs of men rather than being a catch-all kind of solution.
As these multivitamins are specific to men you may even find they are banded in age ranges as well, so you can have a vitamin regime that is even more closely tailored to your specific needs.
I think even though men’s multivitamins are more likely to be more expensive as they have been designed purely for us, they are indeed worth it for that very same reason. Having the best tools for the job is always the best way to deal with a problem.
In conclusion:
As a non medical practitioner I cannot recommend what you should take and when as you would need to discuss that with someone more suitable qualified.
However, when viewing the question from a personal point of view I can say yes, men should take vitamins to ensure their bodies have the correct amounts of each for their bodies to work at an optimal level.
If you allow your body to fall into a state of disrepair and neglect then the rest of your life could suffer as a result. You may not be productive, you may become ill more often, you could be more prone to injury.
Imagine if you had a car, you used burnt old cooking oil instead of quality gas to run it, you let the tires go bald and never kept them inflated, you never changed the oil. you never washed it or got it serviced. You’d never do this to your car but many of us do this to our bodies which are infinitely more valuable.
Look after your body and it will look after you.
