Vitamin Guide for Men

Everyone needs vitamins to stay healthy and keep their vital systems functioning properly. However, the recommended dosage for each vitamin depends on various factors, including your gender. Men have health needs somewhat different from women, partly because their physical demands are different. Also different is their risk for some diseases, such as prostate cancer, coronary heart disease and high cholesterol. Generally, men need higher doses of vitamin A, B complex group, C, D and E.

Vitamin A

Eye health is important, and to maintain it, you should ensure that you get adequate amounts of carotenoids, the American Dietetic Association notes. In particular, make sure you eat foods containing antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which you can get from red, orange, green and yellow vegetables. If this is difficult, you might use a supplement. In that case, take a vitamin that contains at least 3,000 IU but no more than 5,000 IU of vitamin A. However, fresh vegetables such as spinach, carrots, cantaloupes, broccoli and kale are still the best sources of this essential nutrient.

B Vitamins

Men should maintain a regular intake of B-complex vitamins. Each vitamin plays an important role in your body, and each one has a specific recommended daily allowance for men, the Harvard School of Public Health explains. Thiamine, which lets your body convert glucose to energy, has an RDA of 1.5 mg. B-2 or riboflavin, with an RDA of 1.7 mg, is used for red cell production and growth. Niacin, needed for digestion, should not go below 15 mg daily. Pantothenic acid, or B-5, is used for energy conversion. Men should take at least 5 mg everyday. Biotin has a similar role, but has a smaller RDA of just 30 mcg. Pyridoxine, or B-6, helps the brain function. It has an RDA of 2 mg. Folic acid, or B-9, is vital for new cell production. Men need 200 to 400 mcg daily. Lastly, B-12, or cobalamin, is used in tandem with folic acid to make red blood cells, with an RDA of 2 mcg. It is best to get B vitamins from vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes and whole grains.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the nutrients that your body is unable to produce naturally. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is used in healing wounds, maintaining the immune system and preventing cell damage. Furthermore, treatment with vitamin C has been shown to improve blood vessel dilation, the Linus Pauling Institute notes. It is therefore useful for reducing symptoms of diseases men are prone to suffer, such as coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Supplemental doses of vitamin C have also been shown to reduce the incidence of gout in men. Try to get at least 90 mg of vitamin C daily, preferably from fresh foods such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes and sweet red peppers.

Vitamin D

Maintaining bone health is important if you want to stay strong and fit, so you need to get enough vitamin D. A key nutrient needed for calcium absorption and bone growth, vitamin D is also associated with testosterone production. It can be obtained from exposure to sunlight and consumption of fish oil, fortified milk, eggs and fortified cereals. However, if you can't get your vitamin D this way, you may need to take a supplement. Men should get at least 400 IU of vitamin D daily, the American Dietetic Association recommends.

Vitamin E

Getting enough vitamin E is important for reducing the risk of prostate cancer, the Council for Responsible Nutrition explains. According to medical studies, men who regularly took vitamin E supplements or had a higher amount of vitamin E in their diet reduced their incidence of prostate cancer by 32 percent and their mortality from the same disease by 41 percent. A separate study documenting the use of vitamin E and colon cancer showed that people who used vitamin E supplements for 10 years daily cut their risk of colon cancer in half. Vitamin E also helps to prevent blockage in blood vessels, promotes sperm production and keeps your immune system running smoothly.