BY MEN’S HEALTH + GNC With so many supplements available, it can be tough to separate the muscle-building, brain-boosting, highly beneficial brands from the ineffective—and even harmful—ones. That’s where we come in. Here are the six nutrients your body needs most, and the best way to find them naturally and in supplements. Choline Choline repairs […]
Part 1 When I was five years old my father took an overdose of sleeping pills and was committed to Camarillo State Mental Hospital. I grew up with an insatiable desire to understand what happened to my father and terrified it would happen to me. I went to college, got married, had children, earned […]
Recent research shows that the divorce rate is at a 40-year low, unless you are over fifty. “Younger married couples are less likely to split up, but ‘gray’ divorces among older couples are on the rise,” according to Jo Craven McGinty, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. According to the Pew Research Center, the […]
Old stereotypes would have us believe that women are more focused on relationships than men, but I have found that is not true, though men and women do see marriage through different lenses. A loving, intimate, and joyful marriage is just as important to men as it is to women. It is also just as […]
As the U.S. election nears and the Coronavirus continues to infect more than 50,000 Americans a day, the one question we must ask ourselves is this: Which man will truly protect and serve us? When faced with complex social problems that are difficult to understand and solve, it’s human nature to cling to our group. […]
Check out the wide variety of Vitamins by clicking the image above.
I was introduced to Father Earth in 1993 and wrote about my experience in an article, “The Resurrection of Father Earth and the Return of True Partnership Between Men and Women.” Since then my life has never been the same. When Clarissa Pinkola Estes, author of Women Who Run With The Wolves, offered her poem, […]
Thanks for your question. To get an erection, lots of things need to work together: Good blood flow to your penis Good nerve signaling to your penis Normal hormone balance Other things such as stress (physical or emotional), mood, and use of substances such as alcohol or marijuana can affect your ability to get an […]
If you believe we are facing a global climate crisis, increasing threats of war, and endless political conflict no matter who becomes our next President, you are rightly concerned about our future. I recently returned from the library, usually, a place of comfort and calm. I checked out the “new book” shelf and found End […]
Like most of the things I write about, Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) comes from both my personal and professional experience. Professionally, I’ve counseled more than 25,000 individuals and couples who took my IMS quiz and recognized that male anger was a problem in their lives. Personally, IMS nearly destroyed my marriage. Here’s an excerpt from […]
Let’s face it, we all are experiencing a fair amount of tension and stress as we begin the new year and new decade. We all have the usual stresses at home and at work dealing with life. But we’re also facing significant changes outside our personal lives. In the U.S. we’re dealing with the impeachment […]
Let me go on record and declare myself. I believe the MeToo Movement is good for women and men. I believe that men are good, but many are confused and angry. I believe that we must end the polarization of the left and right or humanity is in danger of destroying itself. I have five […]
Hello, and thank you for asking this very important question! Panic attacks can be very scary and overwhelming, and you deserve to have some relief. They may occur when a person is experiencing a lot of stress. The stress may build up until it is so overwhelming that our bodies and minds feel out of […]
Thanks for your question. You are right, it is important for males who are not circumcised to be able to pull back their foreskin. Sometimes you can get smegma, which is essentially white debris, under your foreskin that can be cleaned with lukewarm water. Sometimes males can get a yeast infection under their foreskin. Both […]
Both sexes have their share of stupidity, but I believe that more men predominate in that category. I often pick a provocative title for my articles. The upside is that more people will read them. The downside is that some people will like, or hate, the title and not read the entire article. I trust […]
When I was growing up, men and women had different roles. The old rules required men to be the protectors and breadwinners. Women’s role was to be the homemakers and nurturers. Men’s world was outside the home in the workplace and women’s world was inside the home with the family. The old rules assumed marriage […]
Holiday season is a time for peace, joy, gift-giving, and family fun. It can also be a time of stress and anxiety. We have more and more things on our to-do list and we feel under pressure to get everything done on a deadline. At least that’s how it feels to me. What’s it like […]
I’ve known Michael Gurian for more than thirty years. We met at one of the early men’s gatherings in 1990 and I’ve gotten to know him quite well over the years. He is one of the world’s foremost gender experts and has pioneered efforts to bring neuro-biology and brain research into homes, schools, corporations, and […]
On November 21, 2019, I celebrated the birth of my son, Jemal. He turned 50 years old. At the moment he was born and I held him for the first time, I made a promise that I would be a better father than my father was able to be for me. I also vowed to […]
Some guys trim their pubic hair, others prefer to shave or wax, and most guys just leave it alone. It’s not necessary to remove the hair in this area to keep your body clean; it’s just a personal preference. Trimming: Trimming is the most basic and affordable way of maintaining the appearance of your pubic […]
One of the questions I hear over and over again is “Why is my husband so mean to me?” I’ve also written about this in an article “Why Are Men So Angry?” Of course, we all get angry at times and women’s anger can be as hurtful as men’s. But there is a universal trigger […]
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BY MEN’S HEALTH + GNC
With so many supplements available, it can be tough to separate the muscle-building, brain-boosting, highly beneficial brands from the ineffective—and even harmful—ones.
That’s where we come in. Here are the six nutrients your body needs most, and the best way to find them naturally and in supplements.
Choline
Choline repairs DNA and supports brain function. A deficiency can raise your risk of liver damage and even liver cancer, says Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UNC Nutrition Research Institute.
In one study, people who ate the most choline cut their pancreatic cancer risk by a third.
Related: Lift Weights? Here’s What You Need to Know About BCAAs
Get it naturally: Eggs are loaded. If you ate six pork ribs, you’d still be just shy of your day’s quota (550 milligrams), but a three-egg omelet provides more than 80 percent of that amount. (See the 14 Best Ways to Eat an Egg.)
How to supplement: Pick a pill that has less than 100 percent of your daily value—you want just enough to top off your tank. Gut bacteria transform excess choline into trimethylamine, which causes fishy-smelling BO.
Magnesium
It’s brain food. It may help fight headaches and muscle cramping and improve your mood, says Emily Tarleton, R.D., of the University of Vermont College of Medicine. Shoot for about 400 to 420 milligrams a day.
Get it naturally: Plants suck up magnesium in soil through their roots; seeds harbor the bulk of it. Top sources: sesame seeds (126 milligrams per ¼ cup), raw cashews (100), and almonds (97). Black beans, technically a seed, have 84 milligrams per full cup.
Related: The Top 10 Sources of Magnesium
How to supplement: Nearly half of Americans fall short on magnesium in their diet. The Institute of Medicine recommends taking up to 350 milligrams a day from a supplement. Your body absorbs magnesium citrate best.
Vitamin B12
It keeps your brain’s spark plugs (the neurotransmitters) firing so information can be relayed. Even a mild B12 deficiency can speed cognitive decline with aging. B12 is also required for proper red blood cell formation.
Get it naturally: Eat more steak! Meat and seafood are the main sources of B12, and carnivores can easily reach their daily 2.4 micrograms by enjoying a 6-ounce serving of top sirloin (2.8 micrograms) or canned tuna (2.5).
How to supplement: If your diet is light on meat and fish, ask to have your B12 levels checked the next time you have blood work done. If you’re low, then yes, a supplement can help protect your brain and blood.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K keeps your heart healthy. People with low K intake are nearly three times as likely to have heart problems as those who get the most.
Related: 30 Easy Ways to Save Your Heart Today
Get it naturally: Never skimp on the salad course. A mere cup of raw kale provides 113 micrograms of vitamin K– that’s 94 percent of your daily requirement. Spinach and collard greens are also great sources.
How to supplement: Adults need 120 micrograms a day, but the average man falls short with just 85. So supplement with at least 45 micrograms of K2, the type your body absorbs best, says Cees Vermeer, Ph.D., founder of the R&D Group Vita K at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
Vitamin D
The sunshine vitamin improves your mood and lowers your risk of heart disease, cancer (especially prostate), diabetes, and Alzheimer’s, says Michael Holick, Ph.D., M.D., of Boston University Medical Center Hospital, author of The Vitamin D Solution.
Related: The Vitamin You Need So Your Penis Can Perform
Get it naturally: Unless you’re routinely outside and shirtless between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., you’re probably falling short, says Dr. Holick. Add D-rich foods like fortified dairy and fatty fish (e.g., salmon) to your diet.
How to supplement: Technically, fortified dairy is a supplement: Milk has about 100 IU of vitamin D per cup. But that’s far below the 1,500 to 2,000 IU a day the Endocrine Society recommends. Popping extra D can help.
Zinc
As antioxidants go, zinc is powerful stuff. It’s found in every cell, assists in healing wounds, and helps beat sneaky viruses. And if you want kids, know this: Zinc also improves sperm quality.
Get it naturally: Aim for 11 milligrams of zinc daily; six oysters have about triple that. Bonus: Your body can bank some of the excess, says David Killilea, Ph.D., who studies nutritional metals.
How to supplement: If you’ve noticed your energy and sex drive flagging, turn to foods or supplements that contain both zinc and copper to help support cells in your reproductive and central nervous systems. The two work in concert; supplementing with high levels of zinc alone can result in a copper deficiency.