Your Guide To Multivitamins For Men

The saying, "Men are from Mars and women are from Venus" often rings true, especially when it comes to nutritional needs^1,2. While a healthy, balanced diet is the best way to help support your body’s needs and basic functions, adding supplements or multivitamins can help provide some extra support. Especially for those who have busy lifestyles or find it difficult to achieve their recommended daily intake through diet alone. 

So how do these needs change from gender to gender? Let’s take a closer look at how multivitamins for men are tailored to their unique needs, just like multivitamins for women.

Multivitamins for men: benefits

There may be times where it’s difficult to get your recommended nutrient intake through diet alone, whether that’s due to lifestyle, or changes to your eating habits (such as moving to a vegetarian or vegan diet). A multivitamin is an easy way to support nutrient levels in the body. Plus, they often provide several benefits, including support for immune health, skin health and muscle health.

Different types of multivitamin tablets for men

With men having their own nutritional needs³, it helps to choose a men's multivitamin that’s specifically tailored to you. Men’s multivitamins contain a combination of vitamins and nutrients that are important for men’s health^1,2, so understanding which suits your needs will help you get the most from your multi. Let’s take a look at some of the key vitamins, minerals and nutrients for men’s health.

Vitamins for energy - for men

Does your energy fluctuate throughout the day? While factors like diet, proper sleep and lifestyle affect energy, certain vitamins and nutrients play a key role in supporting energy production⁴.

Vitamin B12 and iron are central to supporting energy production. Iron and vitamin B12 support healthy blood4, while B12 also helps convert food into energy⁴. These are key nutrients when it comes to helping support and maintain your energy.Is it good to take a multivitamin everyday for men?

Take supplements and multivitamins consistently as part of your daily routine, following the dosage instructions on the packaging or your GP's advice. Certain vitamins, like those that are fat-soluble, are best taken with a meal containing fat (like nuts or avocado) to aid in absorption⁵. Taking your daily multi with food can also help to avoid an upset stomach⁶.

Good multivitamins for men’s needs according to age

As men’s nutritional needs evolve based on their age and life stage, there are multiple vitamins for men’s health and wellbeing⁶. Certain nutrients and vitamins play a more significant role depending on age, lifestyle and health goals, so it often helps to understand your goals. Here’s a quick overview of how men’s nutritional needs change as they age. At what age should a man start taking vitamins?

Supplements and vitamins shouldn’t replace healthy habits, like quality sleep, a balanced diet and exercise, so taking vitamins isn’t necessarily based on age. That said, they can be a great way to support overall health and wellbeing so long as you consult your GP or a health practitioner first. 

Multivitamins for teenage men

Adolescence is a time of rapid change for young men, with adequate nutrition being an important factor⁷. In response to increased physical activity and hormonal changes, the body’s nutrient needs rise⁶.

Some important nutrients for teenage men include:

• Zinc 
• Vitamin D

Zinc supports male reproductive health and is an important nutrient as it helps with growth and development during this stage⁸. A multivitamin for teenage men can help support nutrient levels in the body and general health and wellbeing while you’re navigating puberty.

Multivitamins for men in 20s and 30s

As men move into early adulthood, maintaining proper nutrition is crucial for health and wellbeing⁷. With busy schedules balancing work, exercise and family life, adequate nutrition is key to supporting energy, and brain function.

Some important nutrients for men in their 20s and 30s:

• B vitamins 
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Iron

B vitamins are important in your 20s and 30s to support energy production, and vitality. While red meat, dairy and leafy greens are great natural sources, a men’s energy multivitamin with B vitamins can help provide some extra support. 

Multivitamins for men over 50

Once men reach their 50s, nutritional needs can change and this is when nutrients like zinc and magnesium become a focus^6,9. Zinc plays a role in supporting healthy testosterone levels in the body while magnesium supports heart health and healthy muscle function. 

Some important nutrients for men in their 50s:

• Zinc
• Magnesium

As men’s nutritional needs start to change with age, it can help to reach for a tailored men’s health supplement, like a multivitamin for added support to a well-balanced diet¹⁰.

Important vitamins and multivitamins for men over 65

As men enter their 60s, they become more susceptible to age-related factors. Some important nutrients for men over 60 include:

• Vitamin D
• Antioxidants 

Supporting your body’s nutritional needs through diet, lifestyle or supplementation can help provide support throughout different stages of life. Vitamin D supports bone health, while antioxidants reduce free radicals formed in the body^9,11. When choosing a multivitamin for men over 60, look for one that includes these nutrients.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. 

To learn more about men’s health and nutrition, head to Swiss’s Wellness Hub, or take a look at our Ingredients Glossary.

References:

1. Do Men and Women Really Have Different Nutrition Needs? (2024) Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/nutritional-needs-for-men-and-women (Accessed: 06 January 2025). 
   
2. Prentice, A. (2021). Sex differences in requirements for micronutrients across the lifecourse. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 80(3), 356–364. doi:10.1017/S0029665121000550
   
3. Department of Health & Human Services (2017) Men’s nutrition needs, Better Health Channel. Available at: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Mens-nutrition-needs (Accessed: 06 January 2025). 
   
4. Tardy, A. L., Pouteau, E., Marquez, D., Yilmaz, C., & Scholey, A. (2020). Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence. Nutrients, 12(1), 228. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010228 
   
5. Kubala, J. (2021) When is the best time to take vitamins?, Healthline. Edited by L. Hodgson. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-time-to-take-vitamins (Accessed: 06 January 2025). 
   
6. Nutritional Requirements throughout the Life Cycle (2020) PCRM’s Nutrition Guide for Clinicians. Available at: https://nutritionguide.pcrm.org/nutritionguide/view/Nutrition_Guide_for_Clinicians/1342043/all/Nutritional_Requirements_throughout_the_Life_Cycle (Accessed: 06 January 2025).  
   
7. Drake, V. J. (2012) Micronutrient Requirements of Adolescents Ages 14 to 18 years, Oregon State University, Linus Pauling Institute. Edited by P. S. Hinton. Available at: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/life-stages/adolescents (Accessed: 06 January 2025). 
   
8. Australia, H. (2019). Zinc. [online] www.healthdirect.gov.au. Available at: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/zinc.
   
9. Now 9  Diana. The Best Men’s Health Supplements By Age Group [Internet]. Fullscript. Fullscript; 2018. Available from: https://fullscript.com/blog/best-mens-health-supplements-by-age
   
10. Now 10 Dietary supplements for older adults | National Institute on Aging (2021) Available at: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/vitamins-and-supplements/dietary-supplements-older-adults (Accessed: 06 January 2025).
11. Now 11 Frysh P. Things Your Body Needs as You Age [Internet]. WebMD. 2024. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/ss/slideshow-aging-vitamins-older-people