Best Vitamin Packs for Men

As a man, you have unique needs in order to stay healthy. Though your body receives much of its nourishment from sources like food, water, and sunlight, these sources sometimes fall short of meeting your specific nutrient needs.  Personalized vitamin packs can help meet specific requirements, but all are not equal.  Even some of the best vitamin packs for men may sometimes be missing something important if you don’t know what to look for.  Here are some important nutrients for men:

• Vitamin D - which can help support bones, muscles and the immune system^†
• Vitamin C - which can help support your immune system^†
• Vitamin A - which is essential for eye function and healthy vision^†
• Magnesium - which can help support muscle function and convert food into cellular energy^†

Vitamins: What are They and Why Do Men Need Them?

Vitamins are the organic compounds needed by your body for essential cell functions and to support its healthy growth and development. Without vitamins, no part of your body can work efficiently or perform at its best.

Moreover, vitamins and minerals work together to maintain many of the different functions of the body. Both play many roles in your body, from helping support your bones and muscles, to helping a healthy immune system. Read on to learn about some great vitamins to include in your daily vitamin pack.

Vitamin D

Research shows that many people––including men––are low in vitamin D.¹ Whatever your nutritional needs, know that Vitamin D supports muscle health and healthy immune cell function.^†

Vitamin D also helps with the absorption of calcium.¹ From young to old, it’s so important to meet your vitamin D needs.  Vitamin D supplementation helps when diet and sun exposure are not enough to meet your needs.^1†

Vitamin D sources include:

• Sunlight without sunscreen
• Certain fatty fish (like salmon, tuna, and mackerel)
• Egg yolks
• Some fortified foods, such as milk
• Mushrooms, UV treated

Vitamin C

Also popularly known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is an essential nutrient required for your body to stay healthy in a variety of ways. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that helps neutralize the free radicals we accumulate throughout the day. It is also important for collagen synthesis to support overall skin health. You can think of collagen as the glue that helps hold everything together in your body, like your tissues, muscles, and bones. Vitamin C is shown to help support a healthy immune system too.^† You should really consider Vitamin C supplementation if your diet lacks fruits and vegetables.²

Foods you can eat your C from include:

• Kiwi
• Oranges
• Strawberries
• Red pepper
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts

Vitamin A

Vitamin A refers to a group of fat-soluble compounds, all of which are essential nutrients that do the human body good!  Vitamin A comes in two forms, retinol and carotenoids (like beta-carotene). Vitamin A is best known for its critical role in healthy eye function. It’s directly involved in photochemical reactions in the retina, which is responsible for our ability to see the world. It also helps support a healthy immune system. For those who don’t get enough vitamin A in their diet, a multivitamin that contains Vitamin A can help meet daily needs.^3†

You can consume vitamin A through foods like:

• Organ meats like beef liver
• Fish
• Milk and eggs
• Fruits like mangoes and cantaloupe
• Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collards
• Veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash
• Certain fortified cereals

Magnesium

While calcium is the biggest nutrient shortfall in women, magnesium is one of the biggest nutrient shortfalls in men. Magnesium is a multitasking mineral that is required for multiple functions in the body.  Its far-reaching effects include supporting heart health to muscle relaxation to helping convert food into cellular energy.  If your diet lacks nuts, seeds, and those leafy greens, you may not be meeting your daily magnesium needs.^4†

You can consume magnesium through foods like:

• Seeds
• Nuts
• Brown rice
• Green leafy vegetables
• Beans
• Certain fortified cereals

What Should a Vitamin Pack for Men Contain?

While men's multivitamins are a good source of essential vitamins, it can be good to consider taking a personalized vitamin pack that has specific nutrients for your individual nutritional needs.  The best packs for men should contain a multivitamin made specifically for men, as well as additional nutrients or supplements based on age, diet, and lifestyle.   Men often fall short of meeting their daily needs of vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A, and magnesium.⁵  Many multivitamins contain vitamin A to help you meet men’s daily needs, but often extra vitamin D, C, and magnesium supplements are needed to meet individual needs.  Omega 3 fatty acids from Fish Oil supplements are a great addition, too!  You can learn more about your nutritional needs by taking our vitamin quiz. ^†

For more information on nutrition resources, see our blog! Also see our article on the best vitamin packs for women .

†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References:

1. Oregon State University. “Vitamin D.” 2017. Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient Information Center. Accessed on April 27, 2021. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-D
2. Oregon State University. “Vitamin C.” 2018. Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient Information Center. Accessed on April 27, 2021. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C
3. Oregon State University. “Vitamin A.” 2015. Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient Information Center. Accessed on: April 27, 2021. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-A
4. Oregon State University. “Magnesium.” 2019. Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient Information Center. Accessed on: April 27, 2021. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium
5. Devarshi P., Chung R., Reider C., Grant R., Hazels Mitmesser S. "Nutrient Gaps in US Adults by Age and Gender: Vitamin A, D, E, K, C, Magnesium, Calcium, Choline and Dietary Fiber." Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 120.9 (2020): A27.