While men and women both require the same types of vitamins and minerals in the diet, men need different amounts than women. Eating a variety of foods from the grains, fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy groups, ensures you get all of the nutrients you need. Having a poor diet, problems with digestion or not eating enough calories may require you to take a dietary supplement. Before you decide to take a multivitamin or mineral supplement, talk with your physician, because certain ones can be toxic at high doses.
Multivitamins
Multivitamins are a quick and easy way to add vitamins and minerals to your diet, but you should not rely on them as your only source of nutrition. While you may be able to get a majority of your daily vitamin and mineral needs from a multivitamin, you miss out on beneficial fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants found in whole foods. Take a multivitamin specifically designed for men in your age group; some types are for older men. Avoid multivitamins that provide more than 100 percent of your recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, of any particular nutrient. For example, if the nutrition facts label states that your multivitamin offers 250 percent of the daily value of vitamin B-12, it may be significantly lacking in another nutrient.
Zinc
Ensure that your multivitamin provides adequate amounts of zinc, since your body has no way of storing this mineral. Zinc helps to synthesize protein from the foods you eat, aids in growth and development, supports your immune system and helps improve wound healing. The RDA for zinc in men is 11 mg per day, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Magnesium
Your multivitamin should also contain magnesium, a mineral you need for structure and hundreds of metabolic functions. Magnesium also pulls energy from carbohydrates and fats to support your everyday activities or workout regimen. Since magnesium is essential for so many functions in your body, make sure your multivitamin provides the recommended 400 mg. After age 30, your dosage increases to 420 mg, reports the Linus Pauling Institute.
Calcium
Calcium is the most common mineral in your body because it is the main mineral supporting your skeletal structure. You need large amounts of daily calcium, 1,000 mg daily, so your multivitamin most likely does not provide adequate amounts, or else the pill would be too large to swallow. You have a greater risk of bone loss as you age, so your intake boosts to 1,200 mg daily after age 50, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Calcium absorbs at smaller doses, 500 mg or less, so if your doctor suggests taking 1,000 mg of daily calcium, split your supplements into two equal doses.
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