New Evidence for Protective Effects of Vitamin D on Your Heart

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New Evidence for Protective Effects of Vitamin D on Your Heart

By Everyday Health Guest Columnist

Published Jul 24, 2014

By Paolo Boffetta, MD, MPH, Special to Everyday Health

Although vitamin D is obtained from diet and dietary supplements, the main source of vitamin D is production in our skin under the influence of solar radiation.

As sun exposure varies with the latitude of regions and during the year, so vitamin D concentrations of populations vary accordingly. Furthermore, women are generally more prone to low vitamin D concentrations than men. Vitamin D deficiency is especially common among the elderly who often have less sun exposure because of reduced outdoor activity and reduced capacity of the skin to produce vitamin D.

Research on Vitamin D’s Protective Role

We conducted an international study of eight populations from Europe and the United States to investigate the association of level of vitamin D in blood and deaths from all-causes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer mortality, published in the British Medical Journal in June 2014. We paid attention to differences between countries, sexes, age groups and seasons of blood sampling. The study was conducted with the CHANCES Project, a research initiative funded by the European Commission and coordinated by scientists at the Hellenic Health Foundation in Athens, Greece, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and primary authors were from the German Cancer Research Center, in Heidelberg.

A total of 26,018 people had their vitamin D level measured in blood samples collected at enrolment in the study, when they were ages 50 to 79, and were followed for an average of 4 to 16 years, depending on the population. During this period 6,695 of them died, including 2,624 from cardiovascular disease and 2,227 from cancer. We compared the risk of dying between the group with highest vitamin D level and those with lower levels by dividing each study population in five groups of equal size based on their baseline vitamin D level.

Increased Deaths in People With Low Vitamin D Levels

Compared with the group with the highest vitamin D, people in the group with lowest vitamin D had a 57 percent increased mortality for all causes. They also had a 41 percent increased mortality from heart disease for those who were free from heart disease at the study’s start. In addition, individuals with history of cardiovascular disease had a 65 percent increased risk. People with a history of cancer had a 70 percent increased risk. However, for cancer mortality, we saw no benefit in those who were free from cancer at the start.

For all these associations, the three groups with intermediate vitamin D level were at intermediate risk, with a dose-response relation. These associations did not vary by sex, age group, or season of blood collection.

For the US population in the study, the comparison was between people with level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (the main metabolite of vitamin D, and the active compound measured in blood) just above 85 nmol/L on the high end, and people with a level below about 42 nmol/L on the lowest. In that population, the difference in mortality was 42 percent for all causes and 26 percent for cardiovascular diseases.

Since ours an observational study, it cannot directly address the issue of causality. In other words, it is possible that blood vitamin D is a marker of some other characteristics causally linked to disease and mortality, like general good or poor health status. Controlled vitamin D trials, in which individuals are randomly allocated to vitamin D supplement or placebo, are needed to disentangle the effect of vitamin D from that of other factors. However, such studies can only address the effect of dietary supplementation, not of normal dietary intake and sun-related endogenous production. Prior trials showed a protective effect of vitamin D on mortality, albeit of smaller magnitude than observational studies, including ours.

Why Vitamin D Is Good for the Heart

If indeed the protective effect of vitamin D on mortality is real, our study provides important evidence that the effect is present for cardiovascular disease — but not for cancer. The protective effect is present at all ages and in both sexes. Unfortunately, our study did not include a sufficient number of people of different racial and ethnic groups to provide information on this important issue.

An important question is the identification of who should increase their vitamin D status using supplements. There is no consensus on ideal cut-off values for vitamin D deficiency. Our observation that the use of cut-off levels which were specific for country, age, sex, or season produced comparable results, raises the question whether such factors should be considered for defining vitamin D deficiency.

Future population-based studies with standardized vitamin D measurements are needed to fully resolve this issue; in the meantime, caution should be used in extrapolating results across regions with different latitudes.

Despite these uncertainties, I recommend moderate sun exposure, in particular in the elderly.  The amount of sun exposure depends on the type of skin (15-30 minutes are sufficient for a fair skinned person, while one or two hours are needed for dark skinned person) and on the latitude the person lives (more time is needed in Northern regions, in particular in winter). If sun exposure is not sufficient, people can consider taking supplements, after talking with their doctor.

Paolo Boffetta, MD, MPH is a chronic disease epidemiologist who is Director of the Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Associate Director for Population Sciences of the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine, which is part of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. He is also Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.  He has edited 12 books and published more than 1,000 peer-reviewed scientific articles.

The Beauty Benefits of Vitamin B

Today's Health Tips

 

       

The Beauty Benefits of Vitamin B

By Pierra Calasanz-Labrador 

Yahoo Southeast Asia

                                      

                        There are eight vitamins in the Vitamin B group (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12)

 

We’re pretty familiar with the cosmetic benefits of Vitamins A, C, and E, but Vitamin B? Not so much. Lately, we’ve spotted beauty products infused with Vitamin B, and it’s piqued our interest. So what exactly is Vitamin B good for?

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First off, there are actually eight vitamins in the Vitamin B group (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12), collectively known as Vitamin B Complex. In general, these essential nutrients work in tandem to protect our immune system and keep us energized, but each B Vitamin also has individual super powers, including keeping skin healthy.

 

B is for Beautiful Skin
 

Vitamin B has long been a staple in hair care products (specifically, Vitamin B7, or Biotin, helps keep hair smooth, healthy, and lush), but this underdog of beauty is now finding its way into face creams and beauty lotions to improve skin hydration and keep skin aging at bay.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) boosts circulation to promote glowing skin, while Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) works as an anti-oxidant to fight free radicals and prevent early aging. The popular Vitamin B3 (Niacin or niacinamide on product labels) delivers a healthy supply of oxygen to your skin, helps combat inflammation, rosacea, and acne, and minimizes dark spots. Niacin is particularly effective when applied topically (especially on dry and sensitive skin), helping reduce redness, hyperpigmentation, blotchy skin, and even fine lines, for a smoother, fairer appearance. Vitamin B5 (Panthothenic acid) helps manage acne and promotes faster healing of skin wounds. If you suffer from brittle, chipped, discolored, or disfigured nails, Vitamins B2, B9, and B12 are key to good nail health!

Sources of Vitamin B
 

The good news is, you can get your daily dose of Vitamin B simply by eating a healthy, balanced diet. Great sources of Vitamin B include: eggs, yoghurt, milk, nuts, soybeans, spinach, broccoli, green peas, potatoes, carrots, salmon, tuna, brown rice, whole grains, sunflower seeds, fortified cereal, chicken and turkey, some red meat, and lots of green leafy veggies. High protein food such as liver, beef, and peanuts are particularly high in the beauty vitamin Niacin or B3 (suddenly, a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread sounds totally justified!). If you’re worried that you aren’t ingesting the right amount of Vitamin B your skin needs, apply it topically via lotions and beauty creams for youthful, fair, and glowing skin!

Skin or Bones: The Vitamin D Dilemma

Today's Health Tips

 

       

Skin or Bones: The Vitamin D Dilemma

By Dr. Ava Shamban

http://www.everydayhealth.com

Vitamin D is great for your bones, but sunshine can harm your skin. How do you solve this vitamin D dilemma?

Some researchers hypothesize that up to 40 percent of Americans chronically lack healthful levels vitamin D.  Its most renowned function is to enable calcium to do its work to build bones, which is why its intake is so vital throughout a lifetime. But it’s also essential for full-body equilibrium; a shortfall can contribute to everything from depression to chronic pain, diabetes, digestive issues and even cancer.

Vitamin D doesn’t make it easy for health conscious citizens in this modern world.  If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, avoid commercially packaged foods and worship at the altar of the SPF, you have a greater vulnerability to a vitamin D deficiency than someone who chows down on junk food and slurps full fat milk.

Natural food sources for Vitamin D aren’t all that plentiful. What there are come from animals; oily fish, egg yolks, cheese, dairy and beef liver top the list.

The Sunshine Vitamin

Unlike other vitamins and minerals that are solely derived from food sources, vitamin D can get into the system another way too. In response to contact with UVB rays from the sun, the skin actually synthesizes it for itself, hence the moniker the sunshine vitamin.

But how is this supposed to work when week after week I’m urging you to cover up and wear sunblock to prevent sun exposure? Is this going to be one of those devil’s decisions where your choices are to either endure skin cancer and premature photo-aging on the one hand, or to suffer osteoporosis and an increased vulnerability to a host of cancers and other diseases on the other?

The clinical literature delivers mixed messages; some say that sunscreen use has a direct impact on Vitamin D deficiency and others say it doesn’t.  What we do know, however, is that day to day most people do not apply their sun protection thoroughly or frequently enough to eliminate all the UVB bouncing around. So the upside there, I suppose, is that you’re getting some beneficial Vitamin D synthesis that way.

The Supplement Angle

 When it comes to vitamin D, I make an exception to my own rule that you shouldn’t use supplements as a substitute for getting your nutrition from food. 600IU is the recommended vitamin D intake for those ages 1 to 70 years old with the upper toxic levels at 4000 IU.

So the logical thing would be to figure out the IUs your skin is making by itself (in collaboration with UVB) and then supplement the difference up to 600. Some researchers have said that just 10 minutes a day with 25 percent of your total body exposed is the equivalent to 400IU. But this figure is next to meaningless because it doesn’t factor in the most important variable of all . . . your skin’s own natural pigment.

As a by-product of geography, evolution and ethnicity, the skin of those in sun-deprived Northern climes became very efficient in harnessing the available UVB for vitamin D synthesis. In contrast, those who evolved in the solar-rich, all-year sunny skies to the South didn’t have to because there was plenty of UVB to go around.  In real world terms today this means the darker your natural pigment, the more important it is to look into vitamin D supplementation.  But it doesn’t end there.

The D-Deficiency List

What makes calculating IU requirements so difficult are numerous other factors in addition to natural pigmentation:

• Your work – if you’re indoors during most of daylight, you may need supplements
• The season – the colder it gets and the dimmer the sun, the more you have to supplement
• The latitude – the higher up you go, the more you have to supplement
• Pregnancy and nursing – absolutely critical to discuss with your doctor for the health of your baby
• Your weight – those with a BMI of 30 or higher require supplementation to avoid deficiencies
• Your diet – vegans and the lactose intolerant most definitely require supplementation
• Your eating habits – the less processed food you eat, the less Vitamin D fortification you get
• Your age – vitamin D skin synthesis ability decreases year by year, at 71+ you need 800 IU daily
• Your modesty – the less skin you show, the more likely you’ll need extra

If you are unaware of your IUs, and need your vitamin D levels checked, you have a couple of options. It’s easiest to go see your physician for a blood test but for convenience, there are also at-home tests that are sent to the lab to be read, either one will do the trick.

Strategic Exposure

Believe it or not, I still approve of some very limited unprotected daily exposure for everyone because I believe some air on the skin is a good thing. Here’s how: On warm enough days, in the early morning or before sunset, put on a pair of shorts and a sleeveless shirt and walk, run or bike around for about 30 minutes but cover your chest and use a strong sunscreen on your face, neck and hands. Why? Because those areas get too much UVB exposure anyway, age the fastest and develop skin cancers most frequently. But this way, you get the best of both worlds.

Life happens but it doesn’t have to show on your skin . . . or in your bones.

Today's Health Tips

                                                       

5 myths about vitamins

 

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D. | EatingWell – Wed, Apr 11, 2012

 

 

 

A recent government study said more than half of all Americans take dietary supplements, which in my opinion is surprisingly high, considering these pills and powders aren't regulated like drugs but like foods.

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 defined "dietary supplement" (to include vitamins, minerals, botanicals and other ingredients) and ruled that supplements would be regulated like foods. This exempted companies from having to prove the safety or efficacy of their products-entirely reasonable, given that the nutrients come from natural foods, say advocates. The law also permitted supplement makers to use several kinds of marketing claims (some that don't require FDA approval), including structure/function statements, which describe how a nutrient is intended to affect the body.

Related: The Surprisingly Short Nutritional Shelf Life of 4 Kitchen Staples

Allowing such claims-without requiring proof of strong science to back them-is why there's so little conclusive science on supplements, say the law's critics. "The marketing has been quite effective without studies," says Irwin Rosenberg, M.D., senior scientist and interim director of the Neuroscience and Aging Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Even some in the supplement industry warn that lax marketing can be misleading. "There are a few real egregious folks who go over the line with loose structure/function claims," says Andrew Shao, Ph.D., Vice President, Global Product Science & Safety at Herbalife. "Unfortunately consumers get the message, 'all supplement makers are out to dupe me.'" What do the claims really mean? The answers may surprise you. Here are 5 myths about vitamins busted, originally reported on in EatingWell Magazine by Nicci Micco.

 

Myth 1: All "Multivitamins" Are the Same
 

The Truth: There's no legal definition for "multivitamin." Manufacturers apply the term to any product supplying two or more vitamins (minerals, phytochemicals and herbs too). In a 2006 study of 26,735 people out of the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, the "multivitamins" subjects reported using included 1,246 different formulas. Nearly 70 percent were "one-a-day" types; 16 percent, B-complex blends; and 14 percent, "antioxidant" mixes. Products in the same group (e.g., B-complex) varied wildly; many provided megadoses of some nutrients.

 

The Bottom Line: Read labels to find a "multi" that doesn't exceed 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for any nutrients.

 

Myth 2: What's Listed on the Label Is What's Really in the Product
 

The Truth: Supplement manufacturers must list each ingredient (and its quantity) in a product, but they don't have to prove the accuracy of these lists. Limited in resources, the FDA doesn't check that what's inside a product jibes with what's on its label, either. Often labels don't match contents: 30 percent of "multivitamins" tested by ConsumerLab.com, an independent nutrition product testing service and consumer watchdog group, were "off" for at least one ingredient, says Tod Cooperman, M.D., the group's president. Some delivered doses well below those listed on the label; one was tainted with potentially dangerous levels of lead.

Manufacturers can pay to have products tested by ConsumerLab.com or a similar independent company, U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), usp.org, to verify that the formula: 1) is what it's supposed to be, 2) doesn't contain contaminants, and 3) dissolves properly in the body. (Note: Such certification doesn't guarantee safety or effectiveness, just that a product is what the label says.) "Passing" products earn the right to bear a special seal. The absence of a seal doesn't necessarily signal a bad product: big companies often do their own quality-assurance testing.

 

The Bottom Line: Buy products with a certified seal-such as the USP seal or certification from ConsumerLab.com-or an established brand.

 

Myth 3: Calcium Is Calcium
 

The Truth: Vitamins and minerals occur in different forms-all of which may not function equally. A 2005 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that an orange juice fortified with calcium citrate malate was absorbed 48 percent better than one fortified with the same amount of calcium in a different form. Manufacturers don't have to prove that nutrients they add to foods are actually absorbed.

 

Bottom line: A dietitian can help you pick products likely to be well absorbed.

Related: How to Get the 8 Nutrients Vegetarians Need

 

Myth 4: Structure/Function Claims Are Backed By Solid Science
 

The Truth: Structure/function claims (e.g., "Zinc helps maintain immunity") describe what an ingredient is intended to do in the body. Often, the research behind the claim has no scientific consensus. (Look closely: packages with structure/function claims must also bear the disclaimer, "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.") "Claim-featured" nutrients sometimes are included purely for marketing.

Example: Research on phytochemicals (such as lycopene) is still new and their potential benefits poorly understood. Yet "manufacturers will throw in just a tiny bit," says Cooperman. "If consumers have heard of an ingredient, they assume it has some value." "Premium" ingredients can mean the difference between charging $50, versus $8, for a bottle of multivitamins.

 

The Bottom Line: Watch out for "buzz word" nutrients and claims that appear too good to be true.

 

Myth 5: "Studies Have Shown…" Means That Clinical Research Conclusively Showed Whatever Statement Follows

The Truth: Most studies that "show" a vitamin/mineral supplement provides a health benefit are observational ones, which survey people about various behaviors (e.g., diet, exercise, supplement use), then use statistical analyses to identify links with disease. When an observational research finds, "People who took a multivitamin, daily, for 'X' number of years have an 'X' percent lower chance of developing colon cancer than those who didn't," one can't assume that the multivitamin (not a combination of factors) was fully responsible. Surveys show that supplement users tend to practice other healthy habits, too-eating lots of vegetables, shunning cigarettes and exercising regularly-so it's hard to tease out a single protective factor.

This is why diet/disease links found in observational studies must be confirmed in controlled randomized clinical trials. In these "gold-standard" investigations, researchers deliver specific nutrient doses to one group and placebo "sugar supplements" to another (neither the subjects nor the investigators know who's getting what) to test whether a supplement is really responsible for observed benefits.

 

The Bottom Line: Supplement makers don't have to say how scientifically conclusive their studies are.

Related: The Best and Worst Things to Eat for Your Heart
The One Nutrient Your Heart Really Needs

 

Do you take a dietary supplement?

 

Brierley's interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as nutrition editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master's degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.

Today's Health Tips

Prevent a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

By Diane Stresing

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

http://www.everydayhealth.com

A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia and nerve damage. Learn why and find out the warning signs.

You need vitamin B12 to produce blood cells and for your nervous system (which controls pretty much everything) to function properly. In order for the body to use vitamin B12, the vitamin must bind to a protein substance called intrinsic factor, which is produced in the lining of the stomach.

A true dietary deficiency is rare, as most of us get plenty of vitamin B12 in our diets. Very high levels of vitamin B12 are found in foods like liver, clams, and other mollusks, but beef, fish, and fortified breakfast cereals are also good sources of the complex vitamin.

“The body only needs a small amount,” explains Paul Thomas, EdD, RD, a dietitian and scientific consultant with the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements. Yet most Americans consume four to five micrograms a day [of vitamin B12] — "and we only need two to three,” says Elizabeth Pash Penniman, MS, RD, LD, a dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. "Our body can store several years’ worth of B12.”

Vitamin B12: Who’s At Risk for Deficiency?

As we age, the lining of the stomach produces less intrinsic factor, which can greatly reduce the body’s absorption of vitamin B12. Also, those who follow a strict vegan diet with no animal products may be at risk for developing a vitamin deficiency.

Others at risk include people with certain medical conditions that do not permit sufficient vitamin B12 absorption, such as:

• Pernicious anemia
• Crohn’s disease
• Fish tapeworm infection

Vitamin B12: Recognizing Signs of Vitamin Deficiency

The primary symptom of a vitamin B12 deficiency is a sore, red tongue. However, there are a number of other symptoms, including:

• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Decreased sense of vibration
• Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
• Sore mouth and tongue
• Weakness
• Anemia
• Poor memory, confusion, and depression in advanced cases

“If you have the signs or symptoms, I would recommend getting a blood test,” says Penniman. A blood test can usually determine the specific cause of your symptoms, many of which may be seen in other conditions, including folate deficiency.

Vitamin B12: Preventing Vitamin Deficiency

Prevention is important for people of all ages, as a deficiency can lead to anemia and, in some cases, irreversible damage to the nervous system. The most common treatment is B12 supplements given either orally or by injection, and it is generally effective.

Because we produce less intrinsic factor as we age, taking an oral supplement is recommended for people over the age of 60.

Vegans and vegetarians should also consider taking B12 supplement, either orally or by injection. “B12 comes from animal sources, so if you’re a complete vegan you should be taking a B12 vitamin supplement because you could become anemic,” Penniman says, “and so could your child if you’re a nursing mother.”

If you’re concerned that you might be at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency, talk to your doctor about how to include more B12-rich foods in your diet and whether a supplement is right for you.

The Best Multivitamins For Men

Food  and Nutrition

The Best Multivitamins For Men

http://www.menshealth.com/health/best-multivitamins-men

 

You've come a long way since chomping on Flinstones chewables—at least, we hope so. For most men, multivitamins are an afterthought these days. After all, if you eat a healthy, balanced diet, you should get most of the nutrients you need without relying on supplements. But there's always room for improvement (especially when it comes to Vitamin D and Zinc, the Powerful Mineral You're Lacking). That's why we asked two dietitians—Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, nutrition consultant for the Chicago Cubs, and Dave Grotto, RD, author of 101 Optimal Life Foods—to help us navigate the multivitamin aisle. Here are the products that rose above the rest.

1. Rainbow Light Men's One

Key Ingredients: Vitamin A (5000 IU), Vitamin D (800 IU), Vitamin E (30 IU), Vitamin B12 (25 mcg), Zinc (20 mg), Choline (20 mg), Lycopene (1000 mcg)

Why It's a Good Buy: Blatner likes this brand for meeting Vitamin A, D, and E shortfalls, while providing some digestive enzymes and probiotics. Grotto praises Rainbow Light for avoiding the "bells and whistles" other brands rely on, such as saw palmetto and green tea extract (which you can get straight from the source, one of the 6 Essential Belly Flat Foods). Instead, you'll find add-ins like lycopene, a nutrient found in tomatoes which some studies have correlated with lower cancer and cardiovascular disease risk.

$13.49 for 20 tablets, rainbowlight.com

2. Nature Made Full-Strength Mini

Key Ingredients: Vitamin A (2500 IU), Vitamin C (60 mg), Vitamin D (1000 IU), Vitamin E (50 IU), Selenium (20 mcg), Manganese (4 mg)

Why It's a Good Buy: You get at least 100% of the USDA recommended daily allowance of Vitamins C, D, and E in a capsule that's much smaller than some of the horse pills you'll find in the supplement aisle (in fact, Nature Made knocked down their original complete multivitamin by a third). It's also got a significant amount of manganese, an immune booster that helps with memory and maintaining healthy bones. (Protect your brain with 5 Easy, Tasty Recipes Rich in Manganese.)

$10 for 60 capsules, naturemade.com

3. Nature Made Men's Pack

Key Ingredients: Vitamin A (3000 IU), Vitamin C (670 mg), Vitamin E (460 IU), Vitamin B6 (9 mg), Vitamin B12 (25 mcg), Thiamin (18 mg)

Why It's a Good Buy: Unlike the more basic Mini and other multivitamins, the Men's Pack has a higher emphasis on the B-complex vitamins, along with an ample amount of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation and protect against cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration. Plus, as Blatner says, the pre-portioned packet "allows you the ability to meet most of your needs and spread out the vitamins throughout the day to improve absorption."

$11.89 for 30-count, naturemade.com

4. One A Day Men's Health Formula

Key Ingredients: Vitamin A (3500 IU), Vitamin D (700 IU), Vitamin E (22.5 IU), Vitamin B12 (18 mcg), Magnesium (120 mg)

Why It's a Good Buy: Vitamin D is a hormone that helps your bones absorb calcium and has been linked to reduced risk of depression, cancer, and heart attacks. But we don't often get it through food alone, unless it's been fortified, says Grotto. That's where a supplement like One A Day can come in—it has almost double the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin D, plus a significant amount of magnesium, which wards off migraines, could help regulate blood pressure and prevents stroke and diabetes, according to some studies. (Note: Despite the name, The One A Day formula is not associated with Men's Health magazine.)

$9 for 100 capsules, oneaday.com

5. GNC Mega Men Sport

Key Ingredients: Vitamin A (5000 IU), Vitamin D (1600 IU), Thiamin (50 mg), Zinc (25 mg), Branched Chain Amino Acid Blend (150 mg)

Why It's a Good Buy: The muscle-aiding amino acids should be good for active guys in their 20s and 30s, says Blatner (though you can cut your serving size if you have a diet rich in leafy greens). And while Grotto believes this brand of multi is a little aggressive on the B vitamins, the absence of iron is a plus, since most men get plenty from their diet, anyway. Oh yeah, and if you're a heavy drinker, you may appreciate the mega dose of thiamin, since consuming large amounts of alcohol makes you use the nerve regulating B vitamin faster.

$19.99 for 90 caplets, gnc.com

6. GNC Mega Men Energy & Metabolism

Key Ingredients: Magnesium (100 mg), Vitamin D (1600 IU), Vitamin B6 (50 mg), Vitamin E (30 IU), Lycopene (950 mcg), Zeaxanthin (190 mcg)

Why It's a Good Buy: You'll find more of the heart protector magnesium in this formula than most multivitamins (about 25% of the daily recommended allowance, versus 13%), which is why both Blatner and Grotto approve. Plus, lycopene helps promote prostate health, while both lutein and zeaxanthin are good for the eyes (of course, you can get some of those same nutrients from eating vegetables such as carrots and spinach).

$19.99 for 90 caplets, gnc.com

7. Centrum Silver Men 50+

Key Ingredients: Vitamin A (3500 IU), Vitamin E (60 IU), Vitamin D (600 IU), Vitamin B12 (100 mcg), Manganese (4 mg), Lycopene (600 mcg)

Why It's a Good Buy: Even though the label says this is for the gray-haired crowd, both nutritionists we contacted believed that guys of any age can benefit from this formula. After all, you're never too young to worry about prostate health (thank you, lycopene) or your memory (when B12 is deficient, it's been known to decrease brain volume). Luckily, both of those nutrients are in plenty of supply in this iron-free once-a-day tablet. Maybe you can steal a dose or two from dear ol' dad.

$10 for 110 tablets, centrum.com

8. Nature Made Multi Adult Gummies

Key Ingredients: Vitamin A (4000 IU), Vitamin C (60 mg), Vitamin B12 (8 mcg), Pantothenic Acid (10 mg), Zinc (5 mg)

Why It's a Good Buy: Most guys don't want to pop a bunch of pills just to get some supplemental nutrients in their system. That's why gummy vitamins for adults are having a bit of a moment right now. Unfortunately, most of them taste awful or have high sugar and calorie content. But the orange and berry-flavored multis from Nature Made are palatable, give you most of your daily basics, and contain only 10 calories per serving. Only question we have: Can they come in bear form?

$13.99 for 90 gummies, naturemade.com

9. Every Man's One Daily

Key Ingredients: Vitamin A (5000 IU), Vitamin C (60 mg), Vitamin D3 (1000 IU), Vitamin E (30 IU), Folate (500 mcg), Vitamin B12 (12 mcg)

Why It's a Good Buy: This is another one pill per day multi that gives you a strong blend of Vitamin D and Vitamin A (100% as beta-carotene, which is not always the case with other brands). Plus, you get half your daily need of folate, a nutrient that helps sperm production, protects against Alzheimer's disease, and prevents certain types of cancer. Those that don't eat a lot of leafy greens could use the assistance.

$20 for 48 capsules, newchapter.com