Supplements are good to take and will give you nutrients that you need that you do not get in your daily diet. Although supplements are not a replacement for meals and eating right is the best way to get the vitamin and nutrients you need. Sometimes supplements are needed and taken at the right doses is beneficial to your health. Men and women need different things as they age so be sure to take the right vitamins for you.
For men over 50 a few common good supplements to take are: Vitamin C and E, coenzyme Q10, lycopene, B-12, and folic acid. Taking vitamins geared towards mens health can provide significant benefits for men and help them to lead productive healthy lives. Vitamins C and E help fight and prevent cancers, bone and muscle health, metabolism, cardiovascular and heart diseases with skin and other health benefits. Coenzyme Q10 fights cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It has been shown that Q10 reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure when taking 100 to 300mg a day. Lycopene helps with prostate health and the prevention of prostate cancer. vitamin B12 is necessary for many functions of the body and is a common deficiency for many seniors since as we age we absorb b vitamins slower. B12 helps the body use iron, red blood cells use B12, and B12 is needed for a properly functioning nervous system. Folic acid is taken with B12 vitamins because they work together to metabolize proteins. Taking multivitamins provides a wide variety of vitamins and minerals and sometimes more practical than taking single nutrient supplements.
For women the most commonly recommended vitamins come from the B complex. Four B vitamins taken are B3, B6, B9, and B12. Vitamins C and D are good and vitamin E although taking to much vitamin E can be harmful. Vitamin B3 helps with cholesterol levels while B6 works with B9 and B12 to reduce the risk of heart attack. Vitamin C is beneficial for bone and muscle health, its an antioxidant and is a part of metabolism. The body does not make vitamin C so it should be taken every day. Vitamin D works with sunlight to build and maintain healthy bones. Menopausal women require less iron so it should be avoided in their diet and supplements. As with men a multivitamin is good for women to take too.
Always consult with a physician or dietician before starting a new health program especially if you are already taking medications. Herbal supplements are also a good thing to look into because they are usually vegetables or nutritious foods in extract form or put into an easy to take form as some people do not like to eat those kinds of foods even though they provide great benefits.