Are there vitamins and minerals essential to boomer male health? In a word, yes. According to a recent post on livestrong.com, men over 50 need 6 important supplements if they are not getting them through good nutrition. The majority of these vitamins and minerals help protect you from diseases as you get into your 50s and 60s.
6 Vitamins & Minerals Boomer Males Need
Although you should try to get as many vitamins and minerals as you can from food sources, in some cases a vitamin or mineral supplement may be needed.
– livestrong.com
As we at boomermale.com always suggest, it is wise to ask your doctor first before adding any of these supplements to your diet.
1. Vitamin D: While you might think that only women get Osteoporosis, it can also happen to men. According to the National Osteoporosis foundation, men over 50 need 800-1,000 IU of vitamin D every day. You can get vitamin D through sunlight, the foods you eat — such as vitamin D fortified milk — and vitamin D supplements.
2. Calcium: Like Vitamin D, calcium helps keep bones strong and healthy. The National Osteoporosis foundation recommends that men over 50 get 1,200 milligrams of calcium every day to help prevent 
osteoporosis.
3. Vitamin C: Alzheimer’s disease lurks for some of us. My own father suffered from this and I want to minimize my chances of developing cognitive deterioration. To help fight that, The National Institutes of Health recommend that all men over 50 get at least 90 mg each day of vitamin C, either from natural sources or a supplement.
4. Vitamin E: John Hopkins University suggests Vitamin E might also be a fighter against Alzheimer’s. The American Heart Association says men over 50 should aim for 15 mg of the vitamin, but should not exceed 400 IUs (international units) each day due to possible serious health complications.
5. Lycopene: Prostate cancer is another disease boomer males might face. Lycopene has been researched in multiple prostate cancer-related studies. If you can’t get enough naturally through vegetables like tomatoes, an over the counter supplement is recommended.
6. B Vitamins & Folic Acid: Build up of fat in our arteries as we age is called atherosclerosis. It can be caused by amino acid called homocysteine. But according to the American Heart Association, B vitamins and folic acid can both help break down homocysteine in the blood, helping reduce your risks for atherosclerosis.
You can read the entire livestrong.com post here. Help your fellow boomer males by letting us know about experience with supplements. Give us your thoughts below.
Live well.
