The right supplements can help your heart, sharpen your immune system, and even improve your sex life. The wrong ones, however, can be ineffective or even harmful. “You run into problems because most men are ‘prescribing’ these things themselves,” says Tod Cooperman, M.D., president of consumerlab.com, an independent tester of health and nutritional products. “Don’t take supplements with abandon. They should be used carefully, because taking in too much of certain nutrients can cause problems.”
We consulted with top doctors, reviewed the latest research, and waded through marketers’ claims to bring you 18 of the best supplements for men. Use our guide—along with advice from your own doc, since many supplements can interact with other medications—to fine-tune your strategy.
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Problem: Brain drain
This amino acid converts fats to energy and boosts antioxidant activity in the body. In supplement form, it may protect gray matter from stress caused by alcohol and aging. And in a 2006 study, people who received 1,000 milligrams (mg) of acetyl L-carnitine a day saw relief from mild chronic depression.
Dose: 1,000 mg/day / Natural sources: Red meat, dairy products
Korean Red Panax Ginseng
Problem: Erectile dysfunction
Sixty percent of men with erectile dysfunction who took this supplement noticed improvement, according to a 2002 Korean study. The herb may also protect your heart—in a recent Canadian study, a daily dose reduced arterial stiffness.
Dose: 900 mg, up to three times a day / Natural sources: Korean ginseng root
Coenzyme Q-10
Problem: High blood pressure
CoQ-10 can lower your blood pressure while boosting your levels of ecSOD, an enzyme thought to protect blood vessels from damage. CoQ-10 may also improve sperm quality, Italian researchers say. Japanese researchers found it can increase fat burning during exercise.
Dose: 30 to 200 mg/day / Natural sources: Meat and fish, eggs, broccoli
Vitamin D
Problem: Bone weakness
Vitamin D is a hormone that helps your bones absorb calcium. That’s a critical benefit, but there’s also a steady stream of other compelling reasons to take it, Dr. Cooperman says. For instance, Vitamin D has been linked to reduced levels of depression, reduced risk of colorectal cancer, and less chance of a heart attack.
Dose: 1,000 IU Vitamin D/day / Natural sources: Sunshine, fortified milk
Fish Oil
Problem: Heart disease
Loaded with the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, fish oil can reduce triglycerides, boost HDL cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. But your heart isn’t the only beneficiary: The healthy fats may also reduce inflammation and improve cognitive performance, and may lower your risk of colon and prostate cancers.
Dose: At least 500 mg DHA and 500 mg EPA daily / Natural Sources: Salmon, tuna, or other fatty fish
Magnesium
Problem: Migraines
A drop in magnesium can be a major headache. “Blood vessels in your brain constrict, and receptors in the feel-good chemical serotonin malfunction,” says Alexander Mauskop, M.D., director of the New York Headache Center. Result: a migraine. The mineral also might help regulate blood pressure and could ward off stroke and diabetes.
Dose: 250 mg/day, plus the magnesium in your diet / Natural Sources: Leafy greens, whole grains, pumpkin seeds, coffee, nuts
Psyllium Husk
Problem: Diabetes
This fiber is more than a colon clearer. In a recent Finnish study, the addition of psyllium to meals reduced participants’ blood sugar and insulin response. Paired with protein, it was also shown to suppress ghrelin, a hormone that makes you hungry. Psyllium is one of five soluble fibers approved by the FDA for lowering LDL cholesterol.
Dose: 20 to 35 g/day, divided and taken with at least 8 oz liquid / Natural Sources: Some fortified cereal grains
Problem: Upset stomach
Probiotics are healthy bacteria that crowd out the disease-causing bad bacteria in your gut. Some can reduce diarrhea caused by certain infections, antibiotics, chemotherapy, and irritable bowel syndrome, Dr. Cooperman notes. The encapsulated good guys may also boost your immune function.
Dose: 1 capsule (with at least 1 billion bacteria) a day /
Natural sources: Yogurt, kefir, and other dairy products
Quercetin
Problem: Low endurance
Want to extend your cardio session? People who didn’t exercise regularly but took 500 mg of this antioxidant twice a day for a week were able to bicycle 13 percent longer than the placebo group, a University of South Carolina study found. It may help reduce the oxidation of LDL particles and reduce blood-vessel constriction.
Dose: Up to 500 mg, twice a day / Natural Sources: Red wine, parsley, grapefruit, onions, apples
Pycnogenol
Problem: Poor memory
This supplement’s antioxidants fight free-radical stress in your brain and stop the degradation of nitric oxide, which preserves neural connections. In a recent Australian study, it improved memory in elderly people. Pycnogenol also supports better bloodflow, which helps fight joint pain and reduce muscle cramps.
Dose: 150 mg/day / Natural sources: Pine bark
Glucosamine
Problem: Joint pain
Glucosamine, a building block of cartilage, can relieve pain and inflammation in joints, says Nicholas DiNubile, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon. In fact, a recent study found glucosamine is more effective than acetaminophen (a.k.a. Tylenol) at relieving symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, often caused in younger men by joint injury.
Dose: 1,500 mg glucosamine/day / Natural sources: Crustacean shells
Vitamin C
Problem: Injury
Sixty percent of adult men don’t get enough vitamin C in their diets, according to an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study. Vitamin C helps protect your cells from the tissue-damaging free radicals produced by exercise. It also helps heal wounds, and it’s key to production of the collagen found in ligaments and tendons.
Dose: Up to 1,000 mg/day in spaced doses / Natural sources: Citrus fruits, sweet peppers, broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts
EGCG
Problem: Extra body fat
Men who took green-tea extract burned 17 percent more fat after moderate exercise than those taking placebos, according to one study. EGCG, the most active antioxidant in green tea, is thought to prolong exercise-induced boosts in metabolism. It has also been shown to help prevent cancer and can improve heart health.
Dose: 890 mg/day green tea extract (containing 340 mg of EGCG) / Natural sources: Green tea
Lycopene
Problem: Prostate-cancer risk
Found in tomatoes, this potent antioxidant may reduce your risk of prostate cancer, according to a recent University of Illinois study review. The researchers say it may work by altering hormone metabolism and by causing cancer cells to self-destruct.
Dose: 15 to 20 mg/day / Natural Sources: Fresh or cooked tomatoes, and fruits with red/pink flesh
Red Yeast Rice
Problem: Cholesterol
It contains lovastatin—a prescription statin—as well as other compounds that may help manage cholesterol. In a recent Annals of Internal Medicine study, patients who took red yeast rice during a 12-week diet and exercise program cut their LDL by 27 percent, compared with 6 percent for those who only dieted and exercised.
Dose: 600 mg, 3 times a day (Consult your M.D. if you’re on heart meds.) / Natural sources: Red yeast rice, some sake, red rice vinegar
Resveratrol
Problem: Cancer risk
You can’t stop the clock, but you can slow it down. This chemical, found in the skin of grapes, seems to interact directly with genes that regulate aging, says Dr. Katz. Resveratrol has been shown to promote DNA repair in animals, enhance bloodflow to people’s brains, and halt the growth of prostate-cancer and colon-cancer cells.
Dose: No dosage recommendations/ Natural sources: Red wine, red grape juice
SAMe
Problem: Depression
Talk about head-to-toe relief: A synthetic form of a dietary amino acid, SAMe has been found to treat depression as effectively as prescription antidepressants, according to Canadian researchers. It has also been shown to reduce joint pain and inflammation, and it may aid cartilage repair.
Dose: 600 to 1,600 mg/day depending on the condition / Natural sources: Made in your body, possibly after eating meats, greens, and oranges
Saw Palmetto
Problem: Enlarged prostate
As you age, your risk rises for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that makes you trickle at the toilet. Saw palmetto may help restore the flow. In a recent Korean study, men taking 320 mg of saw palmetto daily saw their BPH symptoms decrease by 50 percent after 1 year.
Dose: 320 mg/day / Natural sources: Saw palmetto berries