Micronutrients for Men

Written by Stephen P. Sowulewski

Remember when your mother told you to take your Flintstone Vitamins so you would grow up big and strong? Many men take nutritional supplements because they believe that certain vitamins or minerals provide health benefits or help them increase athletic performance or endurance. But if you are otherwise healthy, you probably don’t need to take a supplement as long as you follow the Food Guide Pyramid (MyPyramid.gov) recommendations for a balanced diet. According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, for most vitamins, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is the same for men and women. But for some, body size is responsible for slight differences.
According to sports dietician Dawn Weatherwax, R.D., C.S.S.D., and owner of Cincinnati-based Sports Nutrition 2 Go, “A lot of men typically frequent the vitamin stores such as GNC for men’s vitamins whereas women tend to purchase women’s vitamins from a pharmacy or grocery store. If formulated correctly…the nutrients in over-the-counter vitamins should be enough to provide for both genders,” Weatherwax says.
As far as minerals are concerned, men should be wary of too much iron. Women need more iron than men because they lose it with each menstrual period. After menopause, of course, the gap closes. The RDA of iron for premenopausal women is 18 milligrams (mg) a day whereas for men it’s 8 mg. Too much iron has been linked to increase in heart and liver disease in men.
In addition to safeguarding against iron overload, men should consider supplementing their vitamin D and calcium intake to keep their bones strong as recommended by WebMD. According to Andrew Shao, Ph.D., senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, “It’s a misperception that osteoporosis is a women’s issue. You want to pay close attention to calcium, especially if you are avoiding calcium.” As a general rule, men between the ages of 25 and 65 should take in about 1,000 mg of calcium per day, while those over 65 should take in about 1,500 mg per day.
The important thing to remember is that vitamin and mineral supplementation is not a panacea. In our harried pace we often compromise healthful food for fast food and as a result miss out on vital nutrients. That said, some men may be deficient in certain vitamins and minerals and may benefit from a daily supplement. Typically those who would require supplementation fall into the following categories: older men, vegans and those who regularly skip meals, follow low calorie diets or take medication that interferes with vitamin/mineral absorption.

Stephen P. Sowulewski is an associate professor and department chair for Health & Physical Education at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. He holds adjunct faculty status at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond. He is a contributor to the Men’s Health Network in Washington, D.C.