As a male in your 30s, you might be experiencing many stressors in your life that weren't there five years ago. You might be trying to start a family, addressing medical or weight concerns, or experiencing work-related issues in a career that might or might not be taking off. To combat these matters, maintaining a healthy lifestyle might give you the edge, and vitamins might help. Before starting any new changes, check with your doctor.
Vitamin C
Many men in their 30s begin thinking about having a family. A 2006 report looks at previous studies of vitamin C deficiency in infertile males in the "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences." The paper cites one study involving animals deprived of vitamin C that shows damage in the area of the testicles were sperm matures. It also reveals sperm immaturity, and decreases in sperm count and sperm motility. Another study in 2009 in the "Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition," involving 101 men, finds that vitamin C is the most predominant antioxidant in the sperm of fertile men. The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for men is 90 to 125 mg per day. Foods rich in vitamin C include oranges, grapefruits, strawberries and sweet red peppers.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Bone loss for men begins in your 20s. To maintain strong bones and teeth, increased calcium and vitamin D may be necessary. Ninety-nine percent of the calcium in your body goes to sustaining your bones and teeth. Vitamin D is needed for your body to absorb calcium to be used. The RDA for men for calcium is 1,000 to 1,200 mg per day. Foods containing calcium include dairy products, Chinese cabbage, spinach and rhubarb. The RDA for vitamin D for men is 600 to 800 IU per day. Your body can synthesize vitamin D from sunshine and food sources, including fortified foods, mackerel, pink salmon and sardines.
Thiamine
In your 30s, stresses from the job and family might become overwhelming. To help keep calm and on top of things, thiamine, or vitamin B1, may help. Thiamine is known as one of the anti-stress vitamins, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Thiamine is needed for a complex process in cell metabolism that produces energy. It is also thought to boost the immune system, and aid functioning of the nervous system and brain performance. The RDA for males is 1.2 mg per day. Dietary sources include pork, organ meat, whole grains, enriched foods, brewer's yeast, bran and legumes.
L-Carnitine
Taking 3 gm of L-carnitine, or vitamin B-T, per day might help increase the motility of your sperm, notes the University Michigan Health System. L-carnitine might also help boost energy performance. A 1985 study gave six long distance walkers L-carnitine prior to a 120-minute walk, according to the "European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology." Results showed an increase in available oxygenation and endurance in all of the walkers. L-carnitine supplements may assist in a long day at work, with sports and with the family. There is no RDA for L-carnitine, but rich food sources include beef and pork.
References
- "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences": "Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Male Fertility"; Earl Dawson et al; Dec.2006
- "Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition"; "Ascorbic Acid in Human Seminal Plasma: Determination and Its Relationship to Sperm Quality"; Abasalt Colagar et al; September 2009
- Linus Pauling Institute: Calcium
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin D
- American Dietetic Association: Bone Health for Men
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
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