Men aged 60 and older have unique multivitamin needs. The best multivitamins for men this age contain little or no iron, too much of which risks overloading the system. Older men may require extra vitamins B12 and D. As you age, you have a decreased ability to absorb vitamin B12 from foods, the National Institutes of Health reports, also noting that seniors usually do not get enough vitamin D from sunlight and food. Choose multivitamins verified by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, which checks the potency, purity and quality of dietary supplements.
Kirkland
Costco's Kirkland Signature Mature Multi 50+ vitamin/mineral supplement was rated a "Top Pick" by "Consumer Reports" magazine. As of August 2010, this multivitamin retailed for $10.99 for 400 pills. These multivitamins are USP-verified and available online to non-Costco members for a small surcharge. These supplements are iron-free, contain extra vitamin B12 (more than four times the recommended daily allowance) and are particularly high in calcium and vitamin D, important nutrients for maintaining healthy, strong bones. It contains
Nature Made for Him
Nature Made for Him 50+ is a recommended "Best Bite 50+ for Men or Women" by dietitian Bonnie Liebman of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It retails for $10.99 for 90 tablets as of August 2010 and this supplement offers a hefty 1,000 IU of vitamin D and 2,500 IU vitamin A, 60 percent in the form of beta-carotene. Vitamin A in retinol form may increase risk of hip fractures according to several research studies, including one published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" in September 2003. Nature Made for Him 50+ is also rich in selenium, providing 150 micrograms --- 150 percent of the RDA for this trace mineral. Selenium may be beneficial in protecting against prostate cancer, the CSPI reports.
Equate Mature
Wal-Mart's Equate Mature Complete Multivitamin Silver is an affordable, generic, USP-verified multivitamin supplement. Like the Nature Made brand, Equate Mature Complete Multivitamin Silver was rated a "Best Bite" by CSPI. It retails for approximately $10.99 for 220 pills as of August 2010. This product is iron-free and contains more than 25 micrograms of vitamin B12. Like the Kirkland brand, the Equate multivitamin offers more calcium than many other brands; 220 mg per tablet and 500 IU of vitamin D. Each tablet only provides 2,500 IU of vitamin A, 40 percent of which is in the form of beta-carotene.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements--Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet
- United States Pharmacopeial Convention: The USP Dietary Supplement Verification Program
- "Consumer Reports"; magazine: Two Smart Picks
- APEX Fitness: The Multivitamin Maze
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Vitamin A in dietary supplements and fortified foods: too much of a good thing?; KL Penniston et al.; Sept 2003
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