15 Health Supplements Men Need and 8 They Can Skip

This is it, forget about that

A website published a list containing the recommended supplements every man should use. Nice try, but here’s a list of what men should take instead.

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What you can and cannot take in regards to health supplements

America will often seek advice from a doctor when they need nutrition advice. Why that is, I don’t know. The majority of medical schools spend only 15 minutes teaching nutrition.

As such, I’m always skeptical of articles listing food items or supplements doctors think we should or shouldn’t eat or take. One example is a popular media company that recently published an article entitled “15 Supplements Every Man Needs, Say Doctors.”

It’s not a bad list, but it’s a tad pedestrian. It’s here, with my verdict on its worthiness in parentheses.

• A Multivitamin (No)
• Vitamin D (Yes).
• Vitamin B12 (Only for very specific situations)
• Fiber (Yes but a certain kind)
• Magnesium (You bet)
• Calcium (Nope).
• CoQ10 (Sure)
• Fish oil (Of Course)
• Probiotics (No, Not So Much)
• Zinc (Maybe).
• Iodine (Sounds good).
• Plant Protein (Huh?)
• Vitamin C (Sure, if you’re part of a scurvy crew of 18th-century sailors)
• Vitamin B1 (Yes, if you often drink yourself senseless)
• Collagen (Okay. It’s a special kind of collagen, and there might be an alternative.

You see what I mean? While there are some good recommendations, most of the supplements are not very useful, redundant, puzzling, or off-putting. Here are some examples:

Multivitamins? Screw It

Researchers (Fortman, et al.) Three trials of multivitamins were reviewed, as well 24 trials of single vitamins or paired vitamins. There were 400,000 participants. The pills did not reduce all-cause mortality, heart disease, or cancer.

Another study, Lamas et. al., also found similar results. The effects of a 28-component multivitamin on over 1700 patients who had myocardial damage was evaluated. After 4.6 years, they didn’t see any difference in mortality rates.

The Problem Multivitamins offer many benefits. Multivitamins don’t fit all. Even though we all require the same 24 vitamins, our needs for each one vary. RDAs are calculated using a bell curve. While they may work well for a 150-pound male inactive, they may not be as accurate for larger people or for you.

There are also many interactions that can occur between different ingredients. Iron shouldn’t be ingested with coffee or tea because tannins interfere with absorption. The absorption of copper and zinc is also affected by iron. Vitamins E and A can be counteracted by K. Vitamins A, D and E are fat-soluble so they are best consumed with food.

A multivitamin product should include multiple pills containing compatible nutrients. Each pill should be taken at different times to avoid interfering. This is not the most convenient.

B-12? B Smart and Don’t Bother

B12, unlike other vitamins, is stored in your liver. It would take between three to five years for your body to exhaust its supply if you stopped taking it.

It is possible that this might not be true for vegetarians, people taking metformin (it interferes avec B-12 absorption), or older coots who have trouble with the vitamin. For most people, particularly nutrition-minded athletes who consume a lot meat, fish and poultry, B-12 levels don’t matter.

Fiber. Yeah, Okay, But Let’s Be Specific Here

There are many types and varieties of fiber. There’s insoluble (wheat bran, for example); non-viscous soluble (inulin, oligosaccharides); gel-forming soluble (barley, guar gum); and soluble viscous, gel-forming, non-fermented fiber (psyllium).

The first one is like eating credit cards ground up. It can add bulk, but it doesn’t provide much else. That category of fiber, along with the next two, has little to offer unless you’re a connoisseur of flatulence.

The fourth category is called “The Fourth Category”. psyllium This is the star. It’s the one you want. It does all the things you could hope for in a fiber – lowering cholesterol, reducing the absorption of calories, and providing a feeling of satiety to curb appetite.

It can also normalize stool production (fighting both constipation & diarrhea) and quell irritable intestinal syndrome (IBS), without causing any gases to be formed.

So if they’re talking about men needing more psyllium in their diet, I concur. You can make a big difference in your blood chemistry, and your bowel movements by taking one teaspoon half an hour before each meal.

Calcium? You might be right, but it is best to take it easy

Too much calcium (more that 1,000 mg. per day) can lead to serious health problems. The calcium can build up in your arteries and heart linings, making them look like the walls of White Castle. Additional calcium can cause kidney stones, or constipation.

This is where calcium is a crucial mineral that people would do well to get from whole food. Here’s the thing: When you get too much calcium from foods (milk-based protein powders, dairy products), a fail-safe system kicks in, and the intestines start limiting further absorption of the mineral.

Calcium supplements, however, are not so safe. There is no fail-safe system. You take more, which means more end up in your urine, blood and kidneys.

Probiotics? Meh

Probiotics are a great idea… in theory. Feed your gut wee little beasties and they go to work for you like so many cilia-covered indentured servants, but there are many reasons why it probably doesn’t work.

For one, everyone’s gut biome is probably as individual as fingerprints, and taking cookie-cutter formulations (as you do when you take a specific probiotic supplement) is probably futile. You can still flood your gut with one or more species of bacteria for weeks, but they will not take root and populate.

It’s also hard to know if your expensive probiotic supplement is viable or not. These items need to be kept cold so that microbial metabolism does not stall. Some are freeze-dried and blister-packed, but they still can’t be exposed to anything above room temperature.

That means it’s imperative that some dolt of a deliveryman doesn’t break the temperature chain of command and leave the box of pills on a sun-drenched porch somewhere. When exposed to heat, bacteria will wake up and begin to search for substances to metabolize. Given that there’s no food for them in the capsule, they go Donner party, subsisting on each other’s corpses until they too die.

However, these studies show vastly divergent results. Keep believing in the idea regardless. KefirIt seems to be more effective at colonizing the intestinal tract than other fermented food.

Prebiotic foods such as sauerkraut or kimchi are the best option. kombucha tea These foods not only bring beneficial bacteria into your gastrointestinal tract but also provide nutrients.

Plant Protein. Huh?

The original article makes a case for adequate protein, but it’s a little puzzling that the doctors recommend plant protein over whey, or, for that matter, casein. Granted, they suggest plant protein is more easily digestible than whey, and it’s true, but probably only if you’re lactose intolerant.

Even so, the vast majority of lactose-intolerant people can tolerate up to 2 grams of lactose per meal, and a high-quality whey protein isn’t going to have anywhere near that much lactose in it.

Plant proteins also don’t pack the same muscle-protein Synthesis Wallop is also known by the names casein and whey. For that reason alone, it’s probably best to stick with non-plant proteins.

Vitamin C. Nah.

This vitamin was the very first to be a superstar antioxidant. People began to take huge amounts of this vitamin to prevent disease and speed up their recovery from flu and cold symptoms. Unfortunately, studies haven’t found it to do any of that.

Worse, vitamin C can be used to make you sick, even though it is an antioxidant. “pro-oxidant” When you consume large quantities. Overuse can cause the body to produce free radicals, instead of cleaning them up.

Vitamin C deficiency can lead to a compromised immune system. But citrus fruits should provide all you need.

Collagen. Collagen.

I’m generally good with this recommendation, as several studies have found collagen It can be used to reduce joint pain, and aid in the repair of ligaments and tendon.

There are 28 kinds of collagen. The one that’s supposed to help joints is type II, mostly derived from chicken carcasses, whereas types I and III, generally obtained from cattle, are better for skin and blood vessels, respectively.

Second, collagen is thought to be an amino acid that helps joints. GlycineThe addition of, increases cartilage production.

Yes, collagen. But make sure you use the right type or just take a few extra grams of Glycine per day.

This is it, forget about that

I’m okay with the rest of the “Doctors’ recommendations,” My list of 15 health supplements for men is quite different than theirs. (The following items are what I use. This is not journalistic shenanigans!

1. Aspirin

It’s one of the oldest drugs around, and if it were introduced today, the FDA would probably never approve it because it causes gastrointestinal bleeding in certain people. However, it’s a true miracle drug. It prevents platelets from becoming sticky and reduces inflammation. It can also be used as a mild respiratory uncoupler to prevent excess free radical leakage, which may increase your life expectancy.

A lot of reports have recently tried to debunk its use, but new research suggests they’ve neglected to take body weight and dosage into consideration. One 81-mg. tablet per day may have the desired effects on people who weigh less than 150 pounds. People who weigh more might need two 81mg. tablets.

2. Chemical Minerals (Magnesium and Zinc, Chromium. Selenium. Vanadium).

If you’re an athlete, you sweat, and thus you’re likely to be deficient in zinc, which, along with selenium, maintains high testosterone levels and shores up the immune system. If you’re a plain old human, you’re also likely deficient in magnesium, and magnesium alone is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the human body, ranging from muscle and nerve function to protein synthesis.

The regular blood sugar levels and insulin are also maintained by certain minerals such as chromium or vanadium. This would take 10,000 words. It is important to note that athletes will benefit from these minerals, especially if they are chelated. Consider something like this:https://biotest.t-nation.com/products/elitepro-minerals”>ElitePro™ Minerals and you’re covered.

3. CoenzymeQ10

CoQ10 is what’s known as a pseudovitamin – it’s essential for life, but it’s not essential to life that you supplement with it because the body makes some of it on its own.

Consider taking between 90 and 200 mg. of vitamin C daily with food. These are the cells that determine our long-term health. It can also lower plaque levels in the arteries.

4. Micellar Curcumin

Curcumin This supplement is one of those that seems too good to be true. It does everything. It can improve cardiovascular health, reduce body fat, alleviate pain, kill multiple types of cancer cells, as well as reduce estrogen levels.

Unfortunately, it’s always been plagued by absorption problems. One could give someone a lot of curcumin but not much of it in the blood. Thankfully, Micellar Curcumin™ It solves this problem. It’s 95x more absorbable than ordinary curcumin, so you only need to take one 400-mg. capsule a day.

5. Fiber

One teaspoon psyllium Take it three times per day, one-half hour before meals. It’ll mop up your high cholesterol levels and take care of almost any bowel problems or inconsistencies you’ve ever had.

6. Glycine

As I have mentioned, Glycine This may explain why collagen supplements are so effective in healing creaky joints. Two to four 500 mg. capsules daily are recommended.

7. Iodine, or Iodized Salt

People who live by the ocean usually aren’t deficient in iodine because they presumably get plenty of seafood. Kansas landlubbers, however, aren’t so lucky. In Kansas, landlubbers are not affected by iodine deficiency.

However, iodine deficiencies have made a comeback because more people are 1) using exotic sea salts (which often lack sufficient iodine), 2) refusing to eat salt at all because of some doctor’s recommendation, or 3) subsisting solely on restaurant food (most of which don’t use iodized versions).

That’s too bad because iodine is crucial to human health. You might have dry skin, difficulty staying lean or have trouble keeping your hair trimmed. It could also apply if you suffer from mysterious fatigue, undiagnosed autoimmune diseases, or depression. It plays an important role in various types of cancer and heart disease.

The RDA for iron is just 150 mg. You can easily reach the RDA by adding iodized salt to your food.

8. i-Well™ Immune Support

This product strengthens and supports the body’s natural immune system through a slick combination of four proven, immune-system fortifying substances:

• Beta-1,3-glucan Prime, strengthen and maintain healthy immunity
• Solid lipid curcumin particle (micellarcurcumin) is used to promote a healthy immune response, neurological health and cardiovascular health.
• Microencapsulated Vitamin D3 To allow immune cells to activate when there is an infectious disease.
• EGCG This is the substance that gives green tea its swagger. It supports cellular, cardio, neurologic and metabolic health.

They form a powerful foursome. “trains,” supports, and strengthens the body’s natural immune system. Three capsules i-Well™ A day of peace and tranquility.

9. Metformin and Cyandin 3-Glucoside

Metformin, the widely used drug for diabetics, regulates a chemical master switch called AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase). It regulates carbs. If you’re diabetic, it makes your cells more sensitive to insulin. If you’re not diabetic, it makes you leaner.

Metformin is thought to be also the first truly longevity drug. When it’s given to lab animals, they live longer. People can reduce the risk of getting cancer by using it. It also improves the outlook for current patients. To get it, you will need to have a prescription.

A great alternative is cyanidin-3glucoside (sold under a href=”https://biotest.t-nation.com/products/indigo-3g”>Indigo-3G®). It acts in much the same way as Metformin, and you don’t need a prescription for it.

10. Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Although doctors dismissed niacin years ago as a way to lower cholesterol, recent research has shown that it is comparable to statins and does not have any side effects.

It appears, however, that niacin, which is a $14,000 per year medication, can be used to combat a condition called “a href=”https://www.t-nation.com/alpha-life/lipoprotein-a-treatment-cholesterol-niacin/”>lipoprotein(a)This is an often overlooked lipoprotein, which doctors rarely test for. It can triple your risk of suffering a heart attack early in life.

Now here’s the rub. A lot of people don’t like niacin because it can cause a surge of skin-flushing prostaglandins in sensitive individuals, which can also cause a short-lived prickly feeling all over your body. That’s why many people opt for the extended-release formula, which lessens or negates the side effects considerably.

However, studies suggest that the immediate-release formula might work better in the long run, and if you take it with meals, you shouldn’t have any flushing or feeling of angry ants crawling on your skin.

Studies suggest that the daily intake of a href=” is not more than 2,000 mg.https://amzn.to/398xx8y”>extended-release Formula And no more that 3,000 daily for the immediate-release formulation. These recommendations are based on research with patients with heart conditions who were also taking statins.

A 500mg tablet is a good option for regular Joes, who just need some heart insurance. One tablet is immediate-release and one is for dinner.

11. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

We live in an omega-6 world, and it’s killing us. Nature intended that we have a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids in the body. Because of our modern lifestyle of fast food, snack-food and meal-in-a box, the ratio of omega-6s to omega-3 fatty acids is more than 20:1.

Inflammation is running rampant through our bodies, and the best way to stop it is to cut down on the omega-6’s and start swallowing those beautiful amber fish oil gel caps. You can take up to 12,000 mg of a combination DHA/EPA formula, such as a href=”https://biotest.t-nation.com/products/flameout”>Flameout®, once per day.

12. P-Well™ Prostate Support

This supplement doesn’t just support the health of the prostate and the urinary tract, it also might improve overall sexual health and function. Three compounds have been thoroughly researched to accomplish this:

They support prostate health and function, support sexual vascular health through better blood flow to the penis, and support urinary tract health via reducing infections and increasing flow. Take just three capsules of Biotest’s P-Well™ A day.

13. Resveratrol

This compound is a powerful estrogen antagonist and aromatase inhibitor, and can help us avoid heart disease and insulin resistance. Take three capsules Rez-V™ A day.

14. Superfood

This product is the thinking man’s alternative to multivitamins. It is made up of 18 nutrient rich fruits and vegetables, which have been freeze-dried, desiccated and then stored in a sealed pouch. As such, Superfood contains all the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals intrinsic to the fruits and vegetables it’s made from. You can take one small spoon a day.

15. Wheat Germ

This health food staple is a product of another era and contains high amounts of polyamine.https://www.t-nation.com/alpha-life/the-nutrient-with-the-embarrassing-name/”>spermidineIn some animal models, it has been shown to extend lifespan by as high as 25%

Spermidine could be used as a supplement. However, it would cost around 150 dollars per small bottle. Instead, I recommend that you opt for the wheat germ route. One tablespoon contains roughly the same amount as you’d get in a typical spermidine capsule. My preferred brand is Bob’s Red Mill Wheat Germ. Just mix that one tablespoon into your oatmeal, yogurt, or protein drink.

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Pure Cranberry Juice works well for iodine. 400mcg per 4 oz. serving

Sorry to be that guy but I don’t like this message at all as it doesn’t have any practical relevance to most people using plant proteins.

Taken from the linked article – The digestibility of plant proteins is lower or they are missing some essential amino acids (leucine, methionine, and/or lysine)..

Vegan proteins are often made with a blend of protein or fortified. Yes if people are taking just soy, or just pea… it’s not optimal. Looking at most companies’ flagship and top-selling products though, a lack of a full amino acid profile is pretty much irrelevant these days.

Also, see the article linked. Wheat protein (and all other known plant proteins) have lower biological value (BV) than animal protein.

Although animal proteins are more absorbable than plant protein, whole foods, they have a different absorption rate. This is due to cellulose, anti-nutrients and other plant fibers. The absorbability of isolates is the same as that of animal proteins.

Also, there is something called the leucine threshold which studies have shown that whilst some plant proteins in smaller amounts aren’t as good as whey in a dose of around 20g each, larger doses like 25 to 30g have actually shown NO difference in muscle growth.

Even a 6-month-old study showed that wheat protein, which is known to be difficult to digest, was able to produce the same level of muscle protein synthesis when given in 30g amounts.

For what it’s worth, this study found that you need a 60 gram bolus of wheat protein before it reached the MPS levels of 35 grams of whey or casein. 1. Gorissen SH et al. A Randomized Study found that Wheat Protein intake increases Vivo Muscle Protein Synthesis rates in healthy older men in a randomized trial. J Nutr. 2016 Sep;146(9):1651-9. PubMed.

The results of a more recent study on young healthy males suggest very different results.

I can’t imagine many people are relying on wheat protein anyway. There’s a study about 24g of rice protein having identical effects to whey also.

I’m not trying to be a dick, I just feel it’s a bad wrap on vegan protein that it’s quite undeserving of. Whey isn’t easier to digest for some and in 99% of instances, these vegan blends are just as good.

I seem to recall you writing an article about Vitamin c and Gelatin. It was just as good, if not better than chondroitin.

Fantastic information. Is there a way to write an article that explains the best times and combinations for taking everything? This would be extremely helpful. Thanks.

Whenever I go over 1000mg of Omega-3 (supplement) I get headaches, not sure why…

Yes. It’s here:

Can’t guess as to why, but my advice would be to listen to your body.

What about Vit. K?

That’s a good idea, although this is something I wrestle with constantly.

Low-dose aspirin has been a subject of conflicting results for me, especially for seniors.

Take, for example:

“participants in the aspirin group had a nearly 20% higher risk of being diagnosed with advanced cancer and about a 30% higher risk of dying from advanced cancer.”

Yes, I would include this information if I was writing the article again. Vitamin KEspecially K2.

It’s frustrating, I know. It’s frustrating. Other studies show that it didn’t work for CVD because baby aspirin dose is too low. Anyhow, I’m starting to think that nattokinase would be a viable substitute for aspirin.

Psyllium may look great on paper, but the plant is extremely good at absorbing lead from soils. This means that you will get some lead in your diet. Although I love fiber, cheating with psyllium is a bad idea.

Yerba Prima Whole Husk appears to have very low or negligible levels of lead.

That’s good. I find it ironic that people can look after themselves in one direction but be nailed by someone else.

Just to clarify, I’m not looking to challenge or “debunk” your assertion. I’m simply posting this study to know your thoughts on the matter, as it It appears To challenge your contention
Does vitamin C act as a pro‐oxidant under physiological conditions? (wiley.com)