In most of our lives, we think that every nutrition and mineral our body needs come from the diet we consume, and this is particularly true to some extent. However, this is not the case when men reach their 60s and beyond.
Men significantly are more prone to vitamin and nutritional insufficiency at this age. In case you are one of them and struggling to have enough nutritional value that isn’t possible to get from your daily diet, add multivitamins to your daily routine that have been assisting men for decades to meet their daily needs. So, how can you balance your vitamin needs? Read on to know what they are and what the best vitamins are for men over 60.
What are vitamins?
Vitamins are important nutrients and minerals that are taken from natural resources such as vegetables and fruits. They help in treating insufficiencies caused due to digestive disorders, poor nutrition, ailments, and other health conditions. With the myriad of brands gathering your attention, a perfect vitamin supplement for your needs can only be prescribed by your nutritionist who knows what type of vitamin supplement you can digest and will benefit your health in the long run. These supplements come in various forms, including liquid, powder, gummies, and tablets.
CDC (Centers of Disease Control) suggests that adults, as well as seniors, must eat two to three cups of veggies and one to two cups of fruits every day for a healthy body. After a certain age, your body needs to have vitamin supplements, which can be a result of several reasons like aging, to regain lost energy, to rejuvenate skin and hair life, or to keep your important body organs fit and healthy.
Luckily, a lot of natural options are there that can help you to have all the benefits and balance your deficiencies. To know what are some best vitamins for men over 60 and which vitamin is essential for what purpose, read on.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin to improve your bone health and assist your body to dissolve other minerals in your body like calcium. Vitamin D helps maintain strong muscles, revitalize the immune system and build a healthy nervous system.
Researchers have mentioned that lower levels of vitamin D can be linked with osteoporosis, heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and decline in activities related to the brain.
Dose Recommendation:
For men of 60 and over, the daily international value of 600 IU of vitamin D is recommended. However, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, people 60+ of age should take 800 to 1000 IU of vitamin D and people with obesity should take as much as 2000 IU to limit the chances of osteoporosis.
You can add foods like fatty fish, orange juice, milk, cereals, and soy milk to get vitamin D naturally. A supplement of providing 100 IUs like Healthreef Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc + Vitamin D3 Supplement can be a reliable option to get the daily dose of vitamin D as well.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B 12 is essential to produce red blood cells and to support your nervous system. The deficiency of vitamin B12 in your body will result in fatigue, exhaustion, and tiredness. It is also probable that you may lose your appetite, develop anemia, or lose weight drastically. Vitamin B12 deficiency is also linked with confusion, dementia, walking problems, and poor memory.
Dose Recommendation:
It becomes harder for older individuals to absorb vitamin B 12 from natural resources like beef, eggs, milk, poultry, cereals, dietary resources, and clams. That’s why it is best to use multivitamins like:
- Nature’s Way Alive! 50+ Premium Gummy Vitamins
- Centrum Silver
- Rainbow Light 50+ Mini-Tablet Food-Based Multivitamin
To satiate the daily recommended 2.4 mcg dose of vitamin B 12.
Vitamin B6
Critically, vitamin B6 is associated with many bodily functions i.e. transporting oxygen to RBCs, regulating metabolism, and the functions connected to memory, mood, and immunity. People with growing age need a great amount of vitamin B6 as the deficiency may cause chronic pain, a decline in brain function, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, seizures, and a much weaker immune system.
Dose Recommendation:
It is not suggested to consume high amounts of vitamin B6, as they can affect your skin and nerves. Women and men over the age of 50 can take 1.5 mg and 1.7 mg of daily vitamin B6 dose respectively. Vitamin B6 can be taken from beef, poultry, fish, avocados, potatoes, non-citrus fruits, and starchy vegetables.
Calcium
Calcium is essential like vitamin D for bone and muscle health. Calcium is mandatory to keep your teeth and bones strong. It also helps in functioning your nervous system and helps the cells to transfer messages all over the body efficiently.
By maintaining a daily need for your calcium intake, you are pushing your bones to remain healthy and minimizing the risk of osteoporosis, fractures, and falls.
Dose Recommendation:
To include 5-6 natural calcium sources in your daily routine would be enough to satisfy the daily suggested value which is 1200 mg for women and 1000mg for men. Best sources of calcium include Chinese cabbage, spinach, kale, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, tofu, soybeans, milk, soy milk, orange juice, and fortified breakfast cereals.
If your body is unable to absorb calcium from natural resources, then a calcium supplement like NutriTion Calcium magnesium Vitamin D3 is recommended.