Supplements, much like medicines, are entirely dependent on their formulation for their purpose and use. Specific supplements are for specific things within your body, and the human body is unique as it is. This is why there are different types of supplements for men and women, due to different needs in their bodies. Many people wonder and ask the question ‘can men take women’s vitamins?’ and it depends on the health concerns within one’s body.
This article will address the question of why supplements are something you should research and learn about deeply before using. There are many concerns with this that people generally have. Many of these supplements are developed using guidance from the Dietary Reference Intakes Based on Chronic Disease, which is a study report by The National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine.
This is just one instance of study material that healthcare professionals recommend in the development of supplements and what nutrients to use in them. These guidelines are highly based on studies that reflect how human bodies work and grow over time to configure what the body needs at different stages. Generally, there are few differences between male and female requirements in terms of nutrients, which cannot be overlooked. Let’s start with the common questions among people regarding dietary supplements and their intake.
What are multivitamins made of?
Many vitamins and minerals combine to make a good combination of nutrients in a multivitamin supplement. Within vitamins alone, there are water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins that make up the nutrients. Then there are calcium, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, magnesium, zinc, and copper, among the minerals. What many vitamin supplements are missing is potassium because it is difficult to include prescribed daily requirements within a pill. For this reason, you need to identify your needs and then look for solutions according to those. If you have a potassium requirement you will need to include leafy green vegetables in your diet.
How do I know which nutrients my body requires?
Nutritional requirements of your body are not that different as a man and woman. There is a recommended number of nutrients by the Food and Nutrition Board i.e. 14 vitamins and 15 minerals within a supplement. Usually, the supplements are formulated around this with minor changes in the doses of each nutrient.
There are ways to figure out how your body is doing and what can improve it thoroughly. No matter at what stage of life you are at, you can take tests or develop your own goals in terms of what you want your body’s health levels to be. There are many health goals that you can address such as your energy levels, better metabolism, and immune system, over the wellness of your mind and body among other things. You either figure out something yourself, which you can get checked by a professional who can recommend a supplement that might help your issue. Or your healthcare professional directly recommends you after evaluating your bodily health.
What are women’s supplement needs?
If you are still wondering ‘can men take women’s vitamins?’, this one will help with your confusion. Nutrients in women’s supplements are very carefully incorporated to ensure they address the several health issues women face, including breast cancer, premenstrual syndrome, osteoporosis, endometriosis, and many more. There can be any myriad of issues you could be recommended a supplement as a woman.
Women also have a faster and higher rate of deteriorating bone health as they age, therefore their multivitamins include a higher dose of magnesium and calcium. Iron is another mineral that is found in women’s supplements because their dietary intake does not reflect as much iron consumption, compared to men. However, this is only recommended in case you are anemic, which is something any man could be affected by too. But unnecessary iron intake is not good as it can lead to cardiovascular diseases. There are different specific multi for the different genders to address these specific issues specifically.
What are men’s supplement needs?
Men have their own set of specific health issues that arise as their bodies grow. Their issues are not largely specific to the male body but their rate of occurrence in men is higher. Cardiovascular diseases are more common in men for example, than they are in women. This is an example of things that are addressed in supplements for men. Their needs dictate B-vitamin as one of the main nutrients in their supplement, to address heat-related issues. This does not mean you should depend entirely on supplements to meet gaps within your bad diet. You cannot address serious health concerns with taking multivitamins alone. Your dietary intake and routine activities should balance out a health-focused goal as well.
Are there general multivitamin supplements anyone can take?
Professionals in the healthcare industry recommend looking for multivitamins that have just the optimal amount of nutrients. Do not go for an excessive amount of supplement that your body does not require, and you will be fine. This means there is no harm in taking men’s multi as a woman and vice versa, so long as you know what that multi is formulated with. And other supplements are more generic in terms of their purpose such as multivitamins for energy and the immune system that can be taken by anybody. Just know what your body already has an abundance of and what it requires before you take any of it.
Hope this answers the question ‘can men take women’s vitamins?’, and other such questions regarding supplements. This process gets easier as you focus on your body and thoroughly find out what it needs from you in different stages of your life. Sometimes you do not require or need to take any supplements, that is if your body is already healthy and fit enough to not need any additional help in the form of nutrients.