Getting older brings a certain sophistication, but also the regular challenges of aging. A healthy diet and lifestyle is the best thing you can do to age confidently.Then there are certain vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements that can help men handle issues common after 40. What vitamins should a male over 40 take?Whether it’s muscle health or sexual health, testosterone support or prostate support, we’ll show you the best vitamins for men over 40.
What are the best vitamins and minerals for men over 40?
Multivitamins for men over 40
By providing key vitamins and minerals, multis help to fill the nutrient gaps you may not be getting from diet alone. If you choose a mens multivitamin to cover your nutritional bases, choose a men’s-specific option, and take a look at GNC’s multivitamin options.
Men’s multis often have more vitamin E and vitamin B12 than an all-purpose multivitamin and have less iron than a multivitamin tailored for women. These differences reflect the unique nutritional needs of men and make it easy to top off your nutritional tank.
Vitamin D
Most people do not get enough vitamin D through their diet. As adults get older, you may generally eat fewer foods that have vitamin D, absorb less of the vitamin D available, spend less time outside, and make less vitamin D from the sun’s energy.
Getting older puts you at greater risk for a deficiency, which negatively affects immune function, your ability to make testosterone, and so much more. Knowing this, it’s clear that vitamin D may be the single best vitamin for men over 40.
READ MORE: Vitamin D Deficiency—How Can You Tell If You Have One?
Vitamin B12
At younger ages, B12 deficiency is primarily a problem for vegans, but the risk of inadequacy increases with age. As you get older, your body absorbs less vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 and other B-vitamins are some of the most important vitamins for an over-40 male for these reasons.
The B12 dose in supplements tends to be higher than what you find in most foods, so don’t be surprised if you see that your B-complex vitamin has more than a thousand percent of your recommended daily allowance.
Protein
Since consuming not enough protein can lead to low muscle mass, the importance of getting the right amount of protein for men over 40 cannot be understated. With how difficult it is to put on muscle as you age, it’s vital to pay attention to your protein intake to ensure you’re meeting your needs.
How much protein do you need? General recommendations for protein are 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, which translates to 72 grams of daily protein for the average 200-pound, 40-year-old man.
This might be the lower limit for protein intake according to other experts, though. The PROT – AGE Study Group recommends that older adults get 1-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram, equal to 90 to 108 grams of protein daily for an average man.
That’s if you’re inactive — if you’re exercising to promote muscle mass, 1.3–1.5 grams per kilogram may be an even better target to aim for14.
If you need to supplement your diet to get to the optimal range, or supplement to optimize the gains from a workout, then check out GNC’s protein supplements.
Testosterone Support
Testosterone levels decline with age, which begs the question:
How do you support healthy testosterone levels naturally after 40?
First things first: get your exercise routine in check; it’s the number one way to support healthy testosterone levels.
A high-intensity strength training regimen may be the most effective approach, but for the most part, any exercise will help raise testosterone levels.
When it comes to supplements to support healthy testosterone levels, first make sure you’re getting enough of the essential nutrients your body needs to make its own. Research suggests that not getting enough zinc, vitamin D, and magnesium can lead to issues with low testosterone, so make sure you’re eating healthy foods and supplementing the difference.
Many herbs, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids have been studied for their ability to raise testosterone. These include:
- Botanicals with years of traditional use, such as Tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia), Tribulus terrestris (a traditional aphrodisiac), Fenugreek, and velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens), each have multiple studies supporting their use.
- Saw Palmetto may provide dietary support for prostate health and normal prostate function7.
While some testosterone supplements can help, the best way to support healthy testosterone is through a well-balanced diet and exercise program.
Prostate Support
Prostate issues may arise as men get older and can cause undesirable symptoms such as frequent urination and other complications. What does work for maintaining a normal prostate as you age is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Exercising and eating right are the keys to minimizing prostate issues down the line. There are also specific ingredients, such as saw palmetto and lycopene, which have been researched for their ability to support normal prostate health.
READ MORE: The Importance Of Prostate Health And How To Support It
Sexual Health Supplements for Men Over 40
Declining potency is an unwelcome fact of getting older, but there are diet and supplement options to help improve your sexual performance as you age.
There is one molecule, in particular, that may help support normal sexual function as you age- nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a critical signaling molecule that tells your blood vessels to open up and allow blood to pass through; the exact mechanism by which an erection happens.
Having proper nitric oxide levels is essential for being able to maintain sexual health, and unfortunately, nitric oxide levels naturally decline with age. The amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline are leading nitric oxide supplements as well another natural nitric oxide booster: nitrates.
You can get a nitric oxide bump from foods such as beets, spinach, arugula, and many other leafy green veggies. You can also find nitric oxide boosting supplements to ensure you get the nitric oxide support your body needs at this age when greens fall short.
Then you’ve got to pay attention to the indirect supporters of your nitric oxide. Vitamin C is crucial for nitric oxide function, but plant-based antioxidants seem to play a role as well.
There is also scientific research to suggest that consuming antioxidant-rich plants (including anthocyanins, flavones, and flavanones in fruit and vegetables) may play a big role in healthy sexual function.
SHOP: Men’s Sexual Health
Conclusion
Along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, consider adding these vitamins for men over 40:
- Multivitamin to fill nutrient gaps in the diet
- Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 as they are commonly under-consumed through food alone
- Protein to support muscle health
- Traditional herbs and ingredients to support testosterone levels and a healthy prostate
- Nitrates and polyphenol antioxidants for nitric oxide support
References
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3. Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin B12. Accessed October 18, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/
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