8 Essential Supplements For Men

Whether you’re looking to increase your performance at the gym or your brain power, supplements can be a good way to level up.

There was a time when Flinstone vitamins seemed like the only game in town. But today everyone is selling a miracle pill that can turn you into either Einstein or Mr Olympia.

If you’re wondering where the truth lies and what to add to your regimen we’re here to help. We’ve put together a science based list of essential supplements for men that will actually make a difference.

Let’s jump into it!

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is in fact a hormone. Humans naturally produce it through exposure to sunlight. It’s best known for helping calcium absorption in the gut. However, there’s so much more to this substance.

Vitamin D can improve testosterone levels which, you might know, is an essential male hormone. Insufficient testosterone can result in weight gain, lower bone mass and can even hinder muscle gain.

There’s also evidence that it can contribute to a better mood and can help cognitive ability.

Making sure you have good vitamin D levels is one of the best steps you can take for long term brain health. A 2006 study showed that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with lower mood and worse mental performance in the elderly.

Unfortunately, our sedentary lifestyle has us indoors most of the time and there are few foods that can provide adequate vitamin D levels. The current recommended dose is between 600-800 UI but the upper limit for men is as high as 4000 UI.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in more than 300 biochemical processes in the body. Severe deficiency can have serious consequences from tremors to seizures and even death.

But you don’t have to be seriously deficient to benefit from supplementing magnesium. Including it in your regimen can have a multitude of positive effects.

Magnesium works with calcium to promote bone health. It does this by stimulating calcitonin—a hormone which regulates how much calcium is involved in building bone tissue.

Also, just like Vitamin D, it has a positive impact on testosterone. A study published in 2011 showed that men who received magnesium supplements had a higher level of testosterone than those in the control group.

Magnesium has also been shown to improve sleep quantity and quality by contributing to melatonin metabolization.

And if that’s not enough it’s also important for muscle flexibility and growth. Strenuous exercise requires that you up your magnesium intake and adequate levels of this mineral will shorten your recovery time.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 Fatty Acids – more commonly known as fish oil—are one of the most popular supplements today and for good reason. They’re great for us but our bodies cannot produce them on their own so we rely on foods and supplements to reap their benefits.

Most importantly, Omega 3 Fatty Acids are touted for being great for heart health. Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide and these compounds can help reduce some of the risk factors involved in this condition. They act by lowering blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

There’s also some evidence that fish oil has a positive effect on memory and depression. A small study published in Psychiatry Research found that patients treated with omega 3 showed improvement in depression symptoms after three weeks.

Lastly, it may also help with atherosclerosis based erectile dysfunction and improve sperm counts. Quite a wonder pill!

However, there have also been some studies that found that high blood concentrations of fish oil are linked to prostate cancer. We advise that you check with your doctor on what a safe dose would be for you.

B Complex

B Vitamins are also beneficial for male hormones. They’re one of the main recommendations for men looking to make gym gains because they’re shown to help strength and build muscle.

The B Complex is actually a collection of 8 B vitamins that act together to address different body needs.

• B1, also known as thiamin, is great for your nervous system.
• B2 handles your metabolism and the health of your skin, eyes and hair.
• B3 lowers bad cholesterol and boosts your brain power.
• B5 is important for creating red blood cells as well as producing hormones.
• B6 is essential for your nervous system and is involved in creating of haemoglobin, serotonin and melatonin
• B7 helps our bodies break down fat. This one is really easy to get from food and a little goes a long way but supplementing won’t hurt.
• B9 is involved in the production of red blood cells. It’s more commonly known as folic acid and you can get plenty if you like to eat your greens.
• B12 is last but not least. It’s good for your heart health, you mood, your sleep – it’s a real trooper!

Creatine

Creatine is the go to for most gym people. It’s hard to overstate how popular it is. It’s available in most health foods and supplement stores and it’s in the ABC of strength training. Amateurs and athletes alike use creatine to increase their muscle mass and gain strength.

The reason for its popularity and its effectiveness is ATP. ATP is the body’s energy currency. Its given name is adenosine triphosphate and it provides energy for muscles when they’re in contraction – which they usually are during strength training. Creatine is metabolized by the body and turned into creatine phosphate, which in turn is a building block for ATP.

Creatine has also shown some positive results for treating certain neuromuscular conditions such as ALS or muscular dystrophy.

However, creatine isn’t recommended for those who suffer from kidney and/or liver disease as it can cause dehydration in large doses. It can, however, do wonders for your training but remember to keep water nearby.

Probiotics

Probiotics have seen more and more coverage in the last few years. As more data comes out, we realize just how essential probiotics and gut health are to the proper functioning of our bodies.

Probiotics are basically live bacteria that live in your large intestine. While that can sound off-putting, it’s actually critical for our health and wellbeing.

The bacteria in probiotics are what’s called “good bacteria”. They don’t create disease but rather work together with our bodies and help our digestion, immunity and even our mood.

The best way to get our essential nutrients is through food. Your gut is the place where all nutrient absorption happens. If the digestive process fails at delivering these important substances we can end up with significant long term issues.

What’s more, there’s evidence that suggests that adequate gut health can help prevent prostate cancer. So far, we’ve found no downsides.

Multivitamins

Every man should try multivitamins. If you’re not interested in the nitty gritty of what specific vitamin and mineral would help take your performance to the next level this is your out.

A multivitamin can be the perfect tool to supplement your diet so that even when you’re not eating your greens or meeting your protein requirements, you’re still getting in all the vitamins your body needs.

A lot of companies claim that multivitamins can help with everything from heart disease to cancer but the science isn’t that clear cut.

There are some studies that show that this one-size-fits-all solution can help with brain function and eyesight, And there’s also evidence that they have a positive impact on mental health – primarily because nutrient deficiencies can cause anxiety and depression.

But as for the claims of cancer prevention and heart health – those should be taken with a grain of salt.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that offers many benefits. From healing injuries to boosting immune function and developing strong hair, nails and good skin, Zinc plays a role in all of these.

But there are some benefits of zinc that are specifically going to help men.

Zinc, just like Vitamin D and Magnesium, helps increase testosterone levels in the body. Recommending three supplements that have this effect might seem like overkill but the reality is that low testosterone levels are a significant problem nowadays.

On top of that, levels also naturally decrease with age so if you’re in your 40s you should start thinking about a supplement regimen that tackles this issue.

Zinc also plays a role in preventing prostate cancer as well as other problems with this gland. Studies show that higher zinc levels are positively linked to better prostate health.

Lastly, Zinc plays an important role in hair regeneration. Along with biotin it can be an important ally in fighting male pattern baldness and promote overall hair and skin health.

So there you have it! Our recommendations for essential supplements specifically selected to help men live healthier and improve performance. We hope you enjoyed and took inspiration from our list.

Before trying any supplement or treatment, we recommend you get the green light from your personal doctor.