A men’s multivitamin may be beneficial if you have a nutrient deficiency, or if you have difficulty meeting your daily recommended intakes from food alone. Individuals that may benefit from a multivitamin include, those that follow a restricted diet, those with increased needs due to high levels of physical activity, and those that are on certain medications or have certain diseases that affect vitamin and mineral levels.
Almost one-third of the U.S. population may be at risk for deficiency in at least one vitamin.1 While this may seem like a logical case for the use of a multivitamin, it highlights a need for us to eat more nutritious foods. As Registered Dietitian Kyala Clegg, MS, RD, CSCS, CES, says, “no matter the quality of the supplement, you cannot out-supplement an inadequate diet.” Keep in mind that while multivitamin use may reduce your risk for a deficiency in certain key vitamins, it also may contribute to a risk of dangerously high intakes of other nutrients.2 It also likely does not prevent chronic diseases.3456
When choosing a multivitamin, we prioritized ones that are third-party tested, preferably by NSF, ConsumerLab.com, or USP, to ensure for purity and potency. We evaluated multivitamins for nutrients particularly important for men including zinc and selenium, and ones that limited nutrients men do not typically need to supplement, including iron. We also considered the nutritional needs of different ages, as well as price, dosage, complete nutrition profile, and added ingredients.
