Vitamins For Men
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If you are a Man like me, who is fascinated by health and general well being then you probably know a fair bit about diet and exercise. But the world of vitamins blew my mind and here is some of the stuff I found through my own research.
What Are Vitamins?
Vitamins are organic compounds that fall in to 2 groups, water-soluble and fat soluble. They are classed as micronutrients because we only need them in small quantities, usually milligrams (mg) or micrograms (mcg or μg) everyday. Most vitamins come from food, this is because the human body does not produce enough of them or doesn't produce any at all.
Which Ones Do We Need?
Below is my list of vitamins for men and a recommended daily dosage
- Iodine - 150mcg
- Calcium - 1000mg
- Chromium - 35mcg
- Iron - 8mg
- Magnesium - 400mg
- Manganes - 2.3mg
- Niacin (vit B-3) - 16mg
- Potassium - 4700mg
- Riboflavin (vit B-12) - 1.3mg
- Thiamine (vit B-1) - 1.2mg
- Vitamin A - 900mcg
- Vitamin B-6 - 1.4mg
- Vitamin B-12 - 2.4mcg
- Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) - 90mg (35mg extra for smokers)
- Vitamin D - 600iu (800iu for 70+ years)
- Vitamin K - 120mcg
- Zinc - 11mg
The Best Way to Consume Vitamins?
A balanced diet should supply you with all the vitamins you need, but supplements are a great way to restore low levels after being ill or periods of bad eating
What Can Happen if We Don't Get Enough?
We can develop deficiencies for example, vegans and some vegetarians are at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency because it’s mainly found in animal foods. A B12 deficiency can lead to fatigue, depression and serious nervous system problems.
There are now strong links between low intakes of particular nutrients and the risk of developing chronic disease including some cancers, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and depression.
Can We Take too Many?
In a nutshell yes we can. Some vitamins have been ascribed upper limits due to their potential to cause harm at high doses, also known as megadose. Check out https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/dietry/a33441837/what-happens-too-many-vitamins/ (what happens too many vitamins) Dr Roger Henderson in this article he explains the damage that can be caused by megadosing.
My Conclusion
Vitamins are a huge part our lives that, more often than not get overlooked when people are run down or ill. I believe we could help prevent illness or that energy crash just by keeping on top of our micronutrients.