Something many people don’t appreciate about their nutritional needs is that the amount of different vitamins and minerals you need in your diet changes as you get older.
This means that as you age, you will probably need to change the types of vitamin supplements you take as well as your usual dosages.
Vitamin (see also ‘These Are The 10 Most Important Vitamins For Aging Muscles’) needs are different for men and women, so in this article, we’ll be focusing exclusively on which vitamins men should take daily at different ages.
If you’re interested in finding out how to properly nourish your body as it changes with age, keep reading!
Which Vitamins Do Men Need?
Both men and women of all ages need to consume a combination of 16 minerals and 13 vitamins in order to maintain optimal health.
With that being said, the requirements for men and women differ because of the different biological processes men’s and women’s bodies undergo on a daily or monthly basis.
One example is that while both women and men must ensure that they’re getting enough iron in their diets to prevent the onset of conditions like anemia, women of reproductive age will typically require more iron than men, which is why iron supplements are recommended to women more often than men.
Vitamins For Men Aged 30 to 40
Men in their 20s can usually get all the vitamins and minerals that their bodies need from a balanced, nutrient-rich diet.
However, when men start to get older and enter their 30s and even 40s, appropriate vitamin intake changes.
If you’re a man and you’re in your 30s or 40s, the chances are that you should be taking supplements to boost your nutrient intake in accordance with your body’s changing needs.
Here are the vitamins and minerals you should be focusing on if you’re in this age group:
Magnesium
It’s a well-known fact that as you get older, your metabolism naturally slows down.
However, your metabolism isn’t just linked to weight loss.
Metabolic reactions in your body are crucial for your nerve health, muscle function, bone health, and energy production, and magnesium is one of the most essential nutrients to keep your metabolism functioning.
If you’re a man in your 30s or 40s, you should aim to take at least 400 and up to 420 mg of magnesium per day. In fact, this is true for all men over the age of 19.
B Vitamins
When you get into your 30s and 40s, you should be making B vitamins a priority.
Not only do they help to transform your food into cellular energy, but some B vitamins like B12 and B6 are essential for brain function, including mood regulation, and the formation of red blood cells.
Men under the age of 50 should get 1.3 mg of B6 every day and 2.4 mg on a daily basis.
If you’re vegan, you need to make sure you’re taking a B12 supplement or eating lots of B12 fortified foods.
Calcium
We’ve all heard that calcium helps to build strong bones, so it should come as no surprise that calcium intake becomes more important with age as the chances of developing conditions like osteoporosis increase.
Men between the ages of 19 and 50 beed 1000 mg of calcium every single day, so make sure you’re prioritizing this nutrient and taking a supplement if you find that your current diet isn’t meeting your needs.
Vitamin C
There are so many benefits to getting enough vitamin C, but the main one is that it’s an antioxidant, so this vitamin neutralizes free radicals in your body and might even help you to absorb more iron from your food.
Men should aim to get 90 mg of vitamin C per day at least, but if you’re in your 30s and 40s and you also smoke, try to aim for 120 mg.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for the health of your eyes, skin, and immune system.
If you’re a man aged under 50, you need 900 mcg of vitamin A per day, which is possible through a balanced diet, but you can also elevate your intake through supplements.
Vitamin E
Like Vitamin C, Vitamin E is an antioxidant. You will need to get at least 15 mg of vitamin E per day in your 30s and 40s, but ideally, this should be your intake from the age of 14 onwards.
Vitamin D
If you want to get all the benefits from your calcium intake, you also need vitamin D at an intake of 15 mcg daily at the very least from the ages of 19 to 50.
An intake of between 37.5 and 50 mcg is more optimal, though.
Vitamins for Men Over 50
When you reach the age of 50, you will need to pay even more attention to your nutrient intake.
Here are the vitamins and minerals you’ll need to focus on at this age:
Vitamin B (6 and 12)
B vitamins are essential at all ages, but once you’re over 50, you need to pay special attention to B6 and B12 for your brain function, red blood cells and nervous system.
Men over 50 need 2 mg per day of B6 and 2.4 mg of B12.
Vitamin A
Since eye health and the immune system both tend to deteriorate with age, you should pay close attention to your Vitamin A intake if you’re a man over 50, making sure to get your 900 mcg per day.
Calcium
Once you pass the age of 50, try to increase your calcium consumption from 1000 mg per day to 1200 mg for improved bone health.
Vitamin D
You will also need to take more vitamin D for your bone health as a man over 50.
Try to stick to the higher guidelines of 37.5-50 mcg daily rather than 15 mcg.
Vitamin C
To keep your immune system working properly, it’s more important than ever to get at least 90 mg of vitamin C daily when you’re over age 50.
Magnesium
While you can get away with consuming 400 mg of magnesium daily when you’re under 50, men over 50 should always aim for 420 mg per day.
Additional Recommended Supplements
If you’re getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals for your age from your diet or supplement regimen, you’re on the right track to keeping your body as healthy as possible for the foreseeable future.
However, if you want to boost your health even further, there are some additional supplements we recommend you take, especially if you’re over the age of 50. These include:
- Vitamin K
- Zinc
- Fish Oil
Final Thoughts
Although some of the vitamin and mineral intake recommendations for men stay the same from the ages of 30 onwards, others increase in order to reduce the risk of certain health conditions that become more likely with age.
If you’re a man over the age of 50, you’ll need to focus more than ever on your magnesium, vitamin D, and calcium intake as well as your B6 and B12.
You should also take Vitamin K, Zinc, and fish oil supplements for additional health benefits and immune support as you get older.