A reliable multivitamin is a perfect way to ensure you get all the essential nutrients. Multivitamins help you get adequate vitamins and nutrients that you might not be able to get through your regular diet. But because of the huge range of multivitamins on the internet and in pharmacy stores, it can be hard to decide which one's the best.
And let's be honest. There are plenty of blogs on the internet helping women choose the right multivitamin supplements, but when it comes to men, there's hardly anything. So, how would men know what multivitamins their body requires? How do they find the best multivitamin?
Don't worry; we got you covered. This blog talks about everything from why men should take multivitamins in the first place to how you should choose the right multivitamins for men. Scroll down to know more.
Why Should Men Take Multivitamins?
Even the most health-conscious men might struggle to meet all the nutrient requirements for their bodies through their diet. This could be due to several reasons, such as poor absorption, adequate intake of nutrient-rich food, etc. And when it comes to old men above 50, the need for nutrition increases even more.
That's when they need multivitamins. By consuming multivitamins, you relax and enjoy life knowing you are not missing your daily nutrients. You may need multivitamins if you are: -
- Suffering from malabsorption disorderUnable to sleep properly
- Suffering from certain health conditions
- Vegan or vegetarian
- Eating imbalanced meals
- Lactose intolerants
- Having an active lifestyle that includes heavy workouts or exercising
Benefits of Consuming Multivitamins
Multivitamins offer several benefits such as:
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Multivitamins increase energy levels
They help you regain energy, stay fit and energetic and prevent your body from being weak or lethargic.
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Multivitamins keep your heart healthy
The heart is one of the most crucial organs of your body and multivitamins might play a huge role in maintaining good cardiovascular health.
-
Multivitamins improve brain function
Vitamins like B12 are great for improving cognitive abilities.
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Multivitamins help reduce stress and depression
Certain vitamins and minerals can significantly reduce stress, mood, and symptoms of depression.
What Factors Should You Consider Before Choosing the Right Multivitamins for Men?
Here's what you should consider before choosing the right multivitamin supplement for men:
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Daily Value
Before you buy a multivitamin, make sure to check the Daily Value of the main ingredients. It must be close to 100%. Remember, values exceeding 100% might not be beneficial for most ingredients. For example, for magnesium, potassium, etc., it is difficult to get a higher percentage of over 100%, as it can be harmful.
-
Look For Key Nutrients
A quality multivitamin does not need to comprise a pool of vitamins. If you are adequately getting certain nutrients and vitamins from your diet, there is no point in taking them as multivitamins. Excess consumption of nutrients can be bad for health and might also affect the absorption of other vitamins and nutrients.
You must identify the key nutrients missing in your diet and choose a multivitamin with that nutrient.
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Bioavailability Of Nutrients
Bioavailability refers to the extent the ingredient (here, vitamins or nutrients) reaches where it is intended to reach. More bioavailable nutrients mean better absorption, which further means better benefits.
Unfortunately, numerous multivitamin manufacturing companies sell multivitamins with nutrients in their inactive forms. It not only is of no benefit to your body but can even prove to be harmful in some cases. So, ensure all the nutrients are in their bioavailable form.
Does it Contain Added Sugars, Preservatives, Fillers, or Artificial Colours?
Multivitamins come in several forms – gummies, powders, tablets, capsules, etc. Gummy multivitamin tablets are the bestselling form of multivitamins or nutrient supplements. But they are loaded with sugar and do more harm than good to you.
Ideally, you would want to opt for the formula of a multivitamin that is free from artificial sugar or harmful preservatives. It must be the thumb rule for all types of multivitamin tablets, especially for the multivitamins to be taken daily.
You can opt for a brand that uses natural flavoring agents like mint in their supplements with no allergens.
Another thing that you must consider before buying multivitamins is fillers. Several manufacturers add ingredients to fill up the capsules to make them look bigger and better and reduce the cost of production. These are also termed binders. These fillers or binders hinder the absorption rate and offer no nutritional value. Look for these ingredients while buying multivitamins and avoid them: -
- Titanium Dioxide
- Silicon Dioxide
- Magnesium Stearate
Third-Party Testing
Third-party testing of supplements is done to ensure the ingredients they consist of are safe to consume and free from high-risk contaminants. However, not all third-party tests are considered equal. You can trust certifications like USP, though.
A multivitamin with a USP seal ensures that it has the Recommended Daily Allowance of nutrients and has them in a safe and accurate amount.
Wrapping Up
Your health mainly depends on what you eat, what is in your diet, how often you exercise, and the quality of sleep you get. All these factors determine your overall health. However, using a daily multivitamin can supplement your health by ensuring you get all your vitamins and nutrients in an adequate amount. And don't forget to follow the above tips so you can choose the right multivitamin for your body.
References
- Weikert C, Trefflich I, Menzel J, Obeid R, Longree A, Dierkes J, Meyer K, Herter-Aeberli I, Mai K, Stangl GI, Müller SM, Schwerdtle T, Lampen A, Abraham K. Vitamin and Mineral Status in a Vegan Diet. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2020 Aug 31;117(35-36):575-582. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2020.0575. PMID: 33161940; PMCID: PMC7779846. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33161940/
- Kennedy DO, Stevenson EJ, Jackson PA, Dunn S, Wishart K, Bieri G, Barella L, Carne A, Dodd FL, Robertson BC, Forster J, Haskell-Ramsay CF. Multivitamins and minerals modulate whole-body energy metabolism and cerebral blood-flow during cognitive task performance: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2016 Feb 11;13:11. doi: 10.1186/s12986-016-0071-4. PMID: 26870152; PMCID: PMC4750202. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4750202/
- Soh Y, Lee DH, Won CW. Association between Vitamin B12 levels and cognitive function in the elderly Korean population. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Jul 24;99(30):e21371. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000021371. PMID: 32791746; PMCID: PMC7387066. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7387066/
- Blumberg JB, Bailey RL, Sesso HD, Ulrich CM. The Evolving Role of Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplement Use among Adults in the Age of Personalized Nutrition. Nutrients. 2018 Feb 22;10(2):248. doi: 10.3390/nu10020248. PMID: 29470410; PMCID: PMC5852824. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852824/
- Weir A, Westerhoff P, Fabricius L, Hristovski K, von Goetz N. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles in food and personal care products. Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Feb 21;46(4):2242-50. doi: 10.1021/es204168d. Epub 2012 Feb 8. PMID: 22260395; PMCID: PMC3288463. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3288463/
- Sarma N, Giancaspro G, Venema J. Dietary supplements quality analysis tools from the United States Pharmacopeia. Drug Test Anal. 2016 Mar-Apr;8(3-4):418-23. doi: 10.1002/dta.1940. Epub 2016 Feb 9. PMID: 26857794; PMCID: PMC5072169. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5072169/
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