Your wellness routine is pretty solid – you stay active, eat healthy (with the occasional burger and beer), get enough sleep, and try to avoid stress. From calories to carbohydrates, you're confident with your approach to well-being, but have you thought about the specific nutrients that help you thrive? While both macro and micronutrients are important, let's break down the differences and callout a few micronutrients that you may want to pay more attention to.
Important Vitamins & Minerals for Men
Your body needs both macronutrients and micronutrients to function at its best, but what's the difference between the two?
Macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats — if you've done the Keto diet or know someone who has, you've heard about “tracking your macros.”
Micronutrients include things like B-vitamins, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, and vitamin D; these micronutrients are many of the individual ingredients listed on a multivitamin label and are likely very familiar to you.
When it comes to macronutrients, men and women have similar general needs. These are largely based on what is necessary to support your life stage and activity level. However, there are unique considerations regarding micronutrient recommendations for men and women. These are a few of the vitamins and minerals that are most cited as important for men's wellness.
Zinc is an important micronutrient that's often associated with immune health, but it's also important for men's health.* This nutrient is required for the activity of over 100 enzymatic reactions throughout the body and is essential to healthy prostate function in men.*1 Zinc can be found in foods like meat, shellfish, eggs, and lentils.
Not consuming enough of those foods in your diet? You can also find zinc at 100% or more of the recommended Daily Value per serving in many Alive!® Multivitamin formulas for men. There's also Nature's Way® Zinc Chelate, which provides 273% of the Daily Value per serving.
Saw Palmetto. This herb, grown solely in Florida, has been used throughout history for its beneficial effects for men.*2 If you live an active lifestyle, especially over the age of 50, you might want to incorporate this into your routine. Try Nature's Way Saw Palmetto Premium Extract to support prostate health.*
Lycopene is a nutrient that supports men's health.*3 You'll find lycopene in many pink and red fruits, including tomatoes, watermelon, and grapefruit.
Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be beneficial to men's health.* It can also be used to help your body process and use proteins.* Selenium is a mineral commonly found in seafood, nuts, and meat.
If you're not a seafood fan or prefer not to eat meat, don't worry. We include selenium in Fortify® Men's 30 Billion Daily Probiotic to make getting this antioxidant convenient and achievable.
References
- Costello LC, et al. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2016 Dec 1;611:100-112.
- Health Canada. Monograph: Saw Palmetto. Retrieved from http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=157&lang=eng
- Schwarz S, Obermuller-Jevic US, Hellmis E, et al. J Nutr 2008; 138:49-53
