Best Multivitamins for Men


 by Jill Corleone, RDN, LD

While you should be able to get all the nutrients you need from your food choices, men often miss the mark when it comes to eating right, reports the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. A multivitamin and mineral supplement may help ensure that you get all the essential vitamins and minerals you need.

While you should be able to get all the nutrients you need from your food choices, men often miss the mark when it comes to eating right, reports the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. A multivitamin and mineral supplement may help ensure that you get all the essential vitamins and minerals you need. Consult with your doctor to help you find a good multivitamin that fits your health goals and needs.

Tips for Choosing a Multivitamin

When looking for a multivitamin, make sure it contains adequate amounts of the nutrients you need and not too much of the nutrients you don't. A good multivitamin should provide 100 percent of the daily value for vitamins A, D, C, B-6 and B-12, as well as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, copper, zinc and chromium, according to Arizona State University.

Too much vitamin E may increase your risk of prostate cancer, and the Linus Pauling Institute recommends you choose a multivitamin that contains no more than 30 international units of the fat-soluble vitamin.

You also want to make sure your vitamin choice contains calcium to support bone health. While you can't get 100 percent of the daily value for calcium in a multivitamin, look for ones that have higher amounts.

All in One

The best multivitamin is the one you remember to take. Choosing a vitamin supplement that you only have to take once a day may help you over that hurdle. There are a number of good ones to choose from, and many are designed specifically for men. If you prefer a food-based multivitamin, Rainbow Light offers a fairly complete option. Take your multivitamin with food to enhance nutrient absorption.

Multiple Pills

Some multivitamins require that you take more than one pill. These types of vitamins may not do well for those who don't like swallowing pills, but if you have a hard time tolerating all your vitamins at once, you may find it easier to split up your dose. For example, the dose for Rainbow Light Certified Organic Men's Multivitamin is four capsules, which you can split up, taking one with each meal or two with breakfast and two with dinner.

Chewable Vitamins

If you have a hard time swallowing pills, chewable multivitamins make a good option. These types of vitamins are also a source of sugar, however. You might try Nature's Way Alive! Men's Gummy Multivitamin, but you would have to chew three gummies to get the nutrients you need. Centrum brand offers a waferlike chewable that meets many of the nutrient needs for men -- though it's not specifically designed for men -- and you only need one wafer a day.

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