Which Vitamins should I take? – Do men over 40 really need them?

As enter my fourth decade (41 at time of writing) the issue of health is one that is gaining more and more importance in my life. I have always tried to lead an active lifestyle and eat a balanced diet but if I am honest my health was not always at the forefront of my mind. This shift in my approach has led me to start looking at health supplements and thinking which vitamins should I take?

You may be going through the same and asking yourself what is the best men’s vitamins but do we really to be taking them?

The more I read about it the more I get confused by the whole subject. A lot of health related publications will promote the use of vitamins for men as part of a healthy living plan while some  experts say that as long as you eat a balanced diet that is full of fruit, vegetables , organic foods high in protein such as lean beef, chicken, eggs , wild caught fish and dairy sources  then you should be getting enough vitamins and minerals to satisfy your health requirements.

However how many of us are able to do this? I mean ..is your diet as good as it could be?

Speaking with friends and clients it still amazes that many of them hardly eat any vegetables and fruits in their diet and if they do seem to stick with same ones and never vary what they eat.

If this sounds like you then I think you should consider a high quality multi vitamin so you don´t risk being deficient in many minerals, vitamins and other nutrients that contribute to your health and functionality.

But remember if you can go for a high quality brand from a specialist nutrition company rather than those you get from the supermarket or other high street retailer. The reason for this is that I read too many stories about cheap ingredients and artificial fillers that won´t do your body any good at all. Now they may not all be true and there probably are some half decent mass market products but I think with most things in life you get what you pay for and this is evident with supplements. Nevertheless I don´t believe you should spend a fortune on those that claim to be the best men’s multi vitamin but as ever do your research and buy from a company that has good name in the industry.

To help you make the right choice I think you need to consider the following points when searching for the best multivitamins for men:

Think about where you are buying them from

If you are buying your vitamins via the supermarket or some local shop then the chances are you are not getting the highest quality products. In my experience going to a specialist health food store or buying from a website is a better choice. Here you have access to people who know their stuff so will be able to answer any questions you many have.

Do the vitamins contain whole foods?

Most decent nutrition companies will have detailed description of what their products include listed on their website with a full explanation of what the ingredients are and the type of vitamin and mineral they supply.

Always read the labels properly

If you read the product labels properly and start seeing words you don´t know or understand such as “Red No 40″ or anything that ends in –ose (which are normally hidden sugars) then chances are this is not a quality or full natural product.

What is the background to the company?

I like to get my supplements from companies that only make supplements because I believe they will be passionate about their products. If their nutrition products are only one in a portfolio of different products then I tend to leave them alone

I know this sounds like a bit of work but really with power of the internet you can find out all this information really quickly and I think when it comes to spending money on your health you want to make sure you are making the right investment.

As for my own research I use a company called Prograde for all my supplements. I already use their protein powders and krill oil omega 3 supplement (which is fantastic by the way) and I am now and thinking about taking their multi vitamin VGF 25+ because it has 25 whole vegetables, greens and fruits (hence the name) some of which I eat very rarely if not at all.

The reason I use them is that they fit the criteria I laid out above and are very transparent about what they use and why. Plus they are just a nutrition only company and from reading their articles and talking to their staff very passionate about what they do.

As I say this is the company I like but there are other companies to use so make sure to do the research if you have time. Also if you find a quality product that is working well for you then please share in the comments below because I am always on the lookout for new products to try and recommend.

So to summarise if you are thinking about which vitamins should I take then look at your diet  first and assess if you could be eating better. If you think not then you should be alright but if you know it is lacking in a certain types of foods some of which you don´t like to eat then a product like  Prograde’s VGF 25+ could be of great benefit to you.

 

by