The best vitamins for men after the age of 50

Vitamins
Aging demands attention to specific vitamins to maintain your health. As a man, some vitamins can be especially useful for improving blood flow and reducing bone loss. Eating a variety of foods from all food groups helps you get all the vitamins you need naturally, but in some cases your doctor may suggest taking vitamin supplements to ensure you get everything you need.

Vitamin D
While osteoporosis is more prevalent in women, men have a greater risk of developing disorders as they age. Vitamin D keeps your bones strong by allowing your body to absorb calcium. In addition, vitamin D regulates your immune system, keeps the muscular nervous system functioning properly, and reduces inflammation. As a 50-year-old man, you need 600 IU or 15 micrograms of vitamin D per day, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin D supplements come in two forms: D2 or D3. Either type is absorbed evenly in your system, but D3 gives you greater protection against fractures.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights harmful free radicals that feed on healthy cells. While there are several different types of vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol has the greatest biological activity in humans. Taking vitamin supplements may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, a disorder common to older men. In addition, vitamin E intake increases your eyes by reducing the risk of cataracts, resulting in protein oxidation in your eye lens. Make sure that the vitamin E supplement you eat provides 15 mg or 22.5 IU of alpha tocopherol.

Vitamin C
A research study published in the journal Fertility and Infertility in 2010 found the benefits of vitamin C and other nutrients on erectile dysfunction. The accumulation of nitrous oxide in the thigh area is one possible cause of erectile dysfunction. Vitamin C works by opening paths to release nitrous oxide, and reducing erection problems. In addition, vitamin C keeps veins and arteries healthy and expanding, improving overall blood flow, including getting blood into the penis. Adult men need 90 mg of vitamin C daily, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Multivitamins
Taking daily vitamins may be one of the quickest ways to get all the vitamins and minerals you need in your 50s. If you consume less than 1,600 calories a day, follow a vegetarian diet, or have intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, or have a history of gastrointestinal surgery, taking daily vitamins may be a good option for you.

Select multiple vitamins specifically designed for men, because you need different amounts of nutrients than women. In addition, make sure that multiple vitamins do not offer a large dose of any given nutrient. For example, multiple vitamins containing more than 100 per cent of the daily needs of a particular vitamin may contain significantly lower proportions of another vitamin.