These days, there is an onslaught of supplement products in the health market. Everywhere one goes, advertisements are all over encouraging everyone to take some kind of health supplements. When diet is not enough, food supplements may be taken to optimize health, especially for men. Below are some of the common supplements that are being used by men for their specific purpose.

1. Boron

   Boron is one of the chemicals our body needs. However, boron is only one of the trace minerals in our diet. But even if it is only a trace mineral, it has several benefits. First, it is an important element to improve thinking skills and coordination of muscles. Moreover, boron is helpful in having strong bones and muscles. Men with osteoarthritis will find that increasing foods high in boron can relieve them of the disease. For decades, boron has been used in many astringents as an antimicrobial. While women use boron as a treatment for vaginal yeast infections, men are using it to increase testosterone levels. The increase of testosterone might be due to the fact that boron can increase the levels of vitamin D in the body. Logically, since vitamin D has been shown to increase the testosterone levels of men who have deficient testosterones, then it is safe to say that boron can increase testosterone, which is just beneficial for men.

2. Calcium

   One of the most important minerals for every human being is calcium. With deficiency in calcium during childhood, there are growth retardation and bone deformities to many. During adulthood, less calcium intake is evident when there is tingling and numbing sensation of hands and feet, muscle spasms, and worst, frequent fractures of bones. Calcium, therefore, is responsible for maintaining strong and healthy bones, and for proper functioning of the muscles and nerves. Additionally, calcium can help in proper blood clotting. Men of all ages must not take more than 3000 mg of calcium per day.

3. Coenzyme Q-10

   For those having problems with male infertility, Coenzyme Q-10 is one of the recommended supplements to take. The human body produces and stores Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10); but CoQ-10 may also be ingested. The purpose of this substance is plenty, though. First this substance is being used for treating cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, angina, congestive heart failure, and other types of heart problems, which is common to the male species. Others observed the Coq-10 can help those with muscle dystrophy, and those with decreased tolerance to exercise. For men having hair loss, especially for those taking anticoagulant drugs, CoQ-10 is being recommended. The substance is also being utilized for those who want to increase their life span.

4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

   For several years now, Omega-3 fatty acid has become hype by the media. But this hype has some truth in it. Abundant in flax seeds, walnuts, sardines, salmon and soybeans, omega-3 fatty acids can help in the reduction of inflammation of the body by reducing cytokines; it can also help in decreasing the rate of blood coagulation, especially for those who are suffering from excessive blood clotting. Omega-3 is also implicated in lowering the lipid level and will bring great benefit for those who have risks of developing atherosclerosis. For men with hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoporosis and some mental health problems, a dose of omega-3 fatty acid per day will greatly improve one’s health.

5. Vitamin E

   It is common for older men to develop prostate cancer. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, although the female specie has higher tendency to develop the disorder according to research, men are also prone to have it. Taking vitamin E can help protect men from developing both these diseases. Additionally, our body will always have free radicals as a result of cell damage; taking vitamin E regularly can prevent the cells from being damaged due to the actions of the free radicals. It may sound vain to some, but men also needs to protect their skin from the harsh effects of ultraviolet rays; with enough vitamin E in the body, man can already safely go out under the sun. Lastly, there have been indications that vitamin E can help protect bladder cancer, the fourth top cancer killer in men. Since vitamin E is fat-soluble, it is not easily eliminated from the body. So even if it brings benefits, men should limit his intake to 1,000 mg per day only. Excellent sources are spinach, Swiss chard and turnip greens.

6. Fish Oil

   Fish oils are increasingly publicized mainly because of its major component, omega-3 fatty acids. Item #4 discussed the benefits omega-3 fatty acids can give to our body. There are various sources of omega-3 fatty acids, but the most common source nowadays are the oils from the tissues of cold-water ocean fish, such as salmon, cod liver and tuna. The oil collected from these fishes are capsulized and sold to the public. The target of those who are taking the fish oil is actually the omega-3 fatty acids which can promote cardiovascular health, protect the body against cancer, relieves inflammatory symptoms, especially for arthritic patients, and improves mental health and IQ.

7. Quercetin

   A type of flavonoid, quercetin comes from plant foods. Among the foods rich in quercetin is the green and black tea, capers, apples, onions and grapes. For some men, one of the components of their supplements is quercetin, which is being hailed as a treatment for cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, cataracts, inflammation, and asthma. Body builders and even ordinary men use supplements containing quercetin for increasing endurance and for improving athletic performance.

8. Glucosamine

   Men with joint pains are taking glucosamine with chondroitin for relief. There have been indications in a study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine that those who are taking 1,500 mg of glucosamine and 1,200 mg of chondroitin are being relieved of the pain they are experiencing with their knees. Both substances are naturally occurring in our body. Glucosamine is actually the connective tissue’s building block, while chondroitin is the substance that retains water in order to maintain flexibility of the connective tissues. Glucosamine in pill form are sourced from the shells of the shellfish, or are made synthetically in the laboratory. Either way, it does not only help those experiencing knee pains, but also those who are suffering from arthritis, as well as, cataract, even though further studies are still being made.

Sources
menshealth.com
menshealth.com
nlm.nih.gov