Best Supplements For Men’s Health
When deciding on supplements and vitamins for men, it is important to note that there are unique health and physiological needs that should be taken into consideration. The physical difference between women and men also has an impact on nutritional needs, as men tend to have more muscle mass, more bone mass, and lower body fat compared to women – this is largely due to hormones such as testosterone.
Even if you are eating a perfect diet, it can still be difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need – so with all of this in mind, let’s take a look at some supplements men should be taking to support their overall health.
Testosterone
Testosterone is the hormone produced mainly in the testicles of men and in the ovaries and adrenal glands in women. Testosterone is incredibly important for the development of male growth and masculine characteristics, it is also responsible for increased muscle mass. Leaner body mass can help control weight while also increasing energy levels.
For men with lower testosterone, there have been studies that have shown treatment can decrease fat mass while increasing muscle strength and size.
Testosterone is also beneficial when keeping your heart and blood healthy. A healthy heart can pump blood around the rest of the body, therefore providing muscles and organs with the oxygen they need for peak performance. Testosterone can help red blood cell production through the bone marrow, and having lower testosterone levels can be linked to a number of cardiovascular risks.
In a recent study with 83,000 men, it was found that men whose testosterone levels returned to normal were almost 25% less likely to suffer a heart attack and 36% less likely to experience a stroke.
You can shop online and order testosterone by clicking here.
Fish Oils
Heart disease accounted for the death of 999 men in 2020 alone and is also one of the leading causes of death in men in Ireland. With that being said, it is of the utmost importance to keep your heart healthy and happy.
Eating fish can have a protective effect on heart health, it can do this by reducing some of the risk factors for heart disease. Triglycerides are a kind of fat that can be found in the blood – and although your body needs them, too many of them can lead to a heightened risk of heart disease.
Fish oils can help lower elevated triglyceride levels and blood pressure, and they can also help to lower low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol.
You can read our blog on the other benefits of fish oil by clicking here.
You can shop and online order our fish oil range by clicking here.
Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral and when zinc levels are low in men, their testosterone and insulin sensitivity can drop. It is also important to note that zinc is lost through sweat, so for those men who are working hard at the gym and sweating every single day – it is important that they are consuming enough zinc to replenish what they lost through sweat.
You can shop and order zinc from our website by clicking here.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is a synthetic version of folate (vitamin B9) which is an essential vitamin that our body is unable to make by itself. Because of this, you need to get folate from your diet to ensure you are meeting your daily needs. Some good dietary sources of folate include liver (beef), spinach, kale, broccoli, avocado, eggs, rice, and bread.
While folic acid and folate tend to be words used interchangeably, the two are different. Folic acid has slightly different biological effects and has a different structure to folate.
There has been research that suggests that folic acid can play a role in healthy cell growth, which also applies to the cells found in our hair. One study of 52 men and women with prematurely grey hair saw that they had lower blood levels of folate, biotin (B7) and vitamin B12 than people who did not have these hair changes.
You can shop and order our folic acid range by clicking here.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes are a group of essential minerals in our body – such as sodium, calcium, and potassium – that have an electric charge and are vital to many key functions in the human body.
The main functions of electrolytes are to regulate muscle contractions and keep you hydrated, they also help balance your body’s pH levels and regulate fluid balance muscle contractions – this is why they are such an important supplement for men who work out.
However, it is important to know that everyone’s sweat concentration is very different (a lot of electrolytes are lost through sweat) and some men might need an electrolyte boost, especially if they are heavy sweaters or do a lot of their work in hot environments, so it is good to know your personal sweat rate in order to determine what electrolyte supplements are right for you.
You can shop and order our electrolytes by clicking here.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for a wide range of functions within the human body. Although there is more research needed, there have been studies that suggest vitamin D supplements can increase testosterone levels in men who are suffering from lower amounts. Low testosterone can lead to a variety of health issues such as low metabolism, sleep apnea, low libido, and fatigue, which makes vitamin D a pretty important vitamin to support men’s overall health.
Vitamin D has also been suggested to support heart and bone health – which is incredibly important – especially for older men who are more prone to falls.
Vitamin D can be absorbed through the skin via sun exposure, but living in Ireland can make this a difficult task, so supplementation is always an option!
You can shop online and order our Vitamin D range by clicking here.
You can read our full blog on the benefits of Vitamin D by clicking here.
Curcumin
Curcumin is a naturally occurring, potent, anti-inflammatory found in turmeric that has been used in ancient medicine for centuries for its healing properties. This is especially helpful when it comes to training recovery, reducing inflammation in general.
There have also been some studies that suggest curcumin could help prevent the development of prostate cancer and cancers in general, due to its anti-inflammatory properties. In Ireland and the UK, about 1 in every 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime. It is one of the most common cancer diagnoses for men, which makes it one of the most prevalent health threats to men who are over the age of 50.
You can learn more about the benefits of drinking golden milk (turmeric) by clicking here.
You can shop and order our range of turmeric and curcumin by clicking here.
Multivitamins
Men and women’s bodies have very different needs, where men require more of certain nutrients and less of others when compared to women. For example, men don’t menstruate every month, meaning they are at a lower risk of iron deficiency anemia – therefore their iron requirements are a lot lower.
While it is possible for most individuals to meet their nutrient needs through their diet alone, there are people who may need some supplementation, especially if they have nutrient absorption issues, are following a restrictive diet, or need to eliminate particular foods due to an allergy or health condition.
In order for our bodies to perform at their maximum potential, they need to be fed a vast and complex array of vital nutrients, and becoming deficient in just one of these essential vitamins or minerals breaks down the metabolic pathway that produces optimum efficiency and performance.
By consuming multivitamins regularly, you will help ensure the presence of essential cofactors necessary for thousands of metabolic reactions within your body.
Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men
Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men is a specific multivitamin supplement made for men. It combines a high-potency blend of vitamins and amino acids with an extensive array of herbs and other ingredients specifically designed for men to help boost their training efficiency, improve their digestive ability while also boosting testosterone levels, heart health, and increasing energy levels.
Opti-Men is a complete Nutrient Optimisation System that provides the ultimate in performance supplementation, and with more than 75 distinct ingredients, Opti-Men ensures that its mineral formula will help you reach your fullest potential with your gym and fitness journey.
Opti-Men contains five performance blends:
Amino-Blend
Contains 8 key free-form acids (including Arginine, Glutamine, and BCAAs), the building blocks of lean muscle growth and development.
Viri-Blend
Contains 8 exotic botanicals and marine concentrates designed to enhance your male edge.
Phyto-Blend
Contains over 20 antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetable concentrates to help combat free radicals.
Enzy-Blend
Contains 4 specific enzymes for enhanced nutrition digestion and absorption.
Opti-Blend
Comprehensive nutritional coverage with 25 vitamins and essential minerals with an emphasis on antioxidants and B-vitamins.
You can shop Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men by clicking here.
You can browse and shop our range of multivitamins by clicking here.