What is The Best Multivitamin For Men?

Men have unique nutritional needs based on various factors such as genetics, season of life, and lifestyle that can’t always be met by diet alone.

This is why many health-conscious men take a multivitamin to help optimize health and fill in nutritional gaps.

But choosing the best men’s multivitamin can be confusing, especially with so many choices available.

Should you go with the most expensive brand? What about a sports nutrition multi? Or maybe a whole-food formula would be best.

If you’re feeling a little lost in the supplement aisle or online store, this article will help with five simple strategies for vetting the best men’s multivitamin supplements, plus FAQs and resources for finding your ideal one.

What’s the Difference Between Men’s Multivitamins and Regular Multivitamins?

The difference between men’s, women’s, and unisex multivitamins is all related to ingredients and formulation.

Here’s what this looks like at-a-glance:

Men’s multivitamins are formulated to meet men's specific nutritional needs and provide targeted benefits.

For example, a men's multivitamin typically has all the standard RDAs for various vitamins (A, B-complex, C, D, E) plus higher zinc concentrations—a mineral known to support prostate health, as well as including low or no iron, which men typically don’t need in supplemental form.

In contrast, a women’s multivitamin almost always contains iron, as iron deficiency is common in women. It may also contain folate or folic acid, which is critical for the child-bearing years.

Higher-quality men’s multivitamin supplements may also include male-specific probiotics, methylated B vitamins, digestive enzymes, amino acids, and superfoods like lycopene, saw palmetto, and various antioxidants for men’s health.

The main benefit of choosing a men’s multivitamin versus a standard multivitamin is you’ll likely get more targeted nutritional support.

Insider tip: Although all supplement companies must operate under Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) as dictated and monitored by the FDA, the FDA does not regulate multivitamin formulas, which is why they’re all slightly different.

This means it’s up to you to know how to vet a high-quality men’s multivitamin supplement, which we’ll discuss next.

5 Steps To Choosing the Best Men’s Multivitamin for Your Needs

Despite the vastness of supplement brands and expert opinions, choosing the best men’s multivitamin is quite simple.

Know what you need, avoid what you don’t, and choose something you can stick with for the long haul.

Here’s what this looks like in five easy steps.

Step 1: Test, Don’t Guess

You already know men have specific nutritional needs. However, did you know your individual needs can also vary from other men?

Nutritional requirements for any gender can be influenced by things like genetics, gut health, diet, how much you exercise, your age, pre-existing conditions, medications you’re taking, and various other factors.

This is where having your nutrient levels tested is invaluable for determining the optimal men’s multivitamin formula for you.

It can also tell you if you need to supplement with additional nutrients like vitamin D, B12, or others.

You also may consider asking your healthcare practitioner to check for genetic variations (also known as genetic mutations), which can impact how well you absorb certain nutrients.

The MTHFR variation, for example, impairs your ability to metabolize and activate vitamin B12 and folate.

The solution is to choose multivitamins with methylated or forms of these nutrients, such as methylcobalamin and methylfolate.

If you choose not to get tested, it is still generally safe to take a men’s multivitamin as long as its nutrients do not exceed RDAs.

Step 2: Check Labels for These Foundational Men’s Multivitamin Nutrients

A high-quality men’s multivitamin should contain a balanced ratio of the following vitamins :

• Vitamin A: Essential for brain, cell, eye, skin, heart, and lung health and reproductive and immune function
• Vitamin C: Vital from strong immune and metabolic function, cellular health, collagen production, gut microbiome health, and iron absorption
• Vitamin D: Plays a crucial role in immune, hormonal, gut, metabolic, and nervous system function and promotes bone density, calcium metabolism, muscular health, optimal testosterone, and more. Look for more bioavailable Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol form
• Vitamin E: A natural antioxidant critical for brain, cellular, eye, hormonal, immune, and skin health
• Vitamin K: Often missing from multivitamins, this nutrient works with vitamin D to ensure optimal transport and absorption of calcium. It also plays a vital role in blood clotting, bone, skin, hair, and cardiovascular health.
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): Promotes cell health, energy, metabolic and nervous system function
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Vital for energy production, cell health, fat metabolism, amino acid conversion, and maintaining homocysteine levels
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin): This nutrient is required for over 400 enzyme reactions! It is essential for cardiovascular and central nervous system health, as well as cognitive protection.
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): Required for fat metabolism, hair, skin, and nail health, gut function, and healthy cholesterol
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Essential for cognitive health, energy, protein metabolism, homocysteine homeostasis, neurotransmitter function, immune health, glucose metabolism, the formation of hemoglobin, heart health, and more
• Vitamin B9 (Folate): Folate is vital for women and men for energy, cellular function, DNA repair, cardiovascular function, amino acid conversion, and blood health. Look for a methylated or coenzymated form of folate to optimize absorption, such as (6S)-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-glucosamine salt.
• Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): B12 levels can decrease as we age and are influenced by various factors like certain medications and genetics. B12 is vital for memory and cognitive function, energy, mental health, cell health, muscular function, healthy blood, central nervous system function, DNA and amino acid synthesis, growth and development, and more. Look for a methylated or coenzymated form of B12 to ensure optimal absorption, such as methylcobalamin.
• Biotin: This nutrient is often included in men’s multivitamins for those over 50 due to its beneficial effects on hair growth. It also promotes cellular health, energy, neurological function, and gene synthesis

Other helpful nutrients in men’s multivitamin supplements may include:

• Choline
• Zinc
• Inositol
• Iodine
• Iron (although men tend to need less supplemental iron than menstruating women, their iron requirements are greater, and some men may benefit from supplementation. Check with your healthcare practitioner)
• Chromium
• Molybdenum
• Magnesium
• Boron
• Betaine
• Calcium
• Manganese
• Selenium
• Copper
• Potassium
• Phosphorus
• Probiotics such as acidophilus, bifidobacterium, and lactobacillus strains
• Prebiotic fiber such as inulin, chicory, potato starch, etc.
• Digestive enzymes like amylase, protease, cellulase, lipase, etc.
• Antioxidants like resveratrol, quercetin, bioflavonoids, etc.
• Various superfoods, such as acerola cherry, cranberry, spirulina, fermented greens, seed sprouts, chlorella, spirulina, functional mushrooms, grape extract, and fruit extracts
• Lycopene
• Herbs for male support like saw palmetto, ginger, turmeric, eleuthero, marigold extract, and aloe
• Essential fatty acids
• Amino acids

Note: Some people may have reactions to too much of a specific vitamin or mineral, such as flushing, nausea, jitters, or other symptoms. Talk to your doctor about your vitamin needs, and make sure you track any reactions you may have after taking a multivitamin.

Step 3: Pay Attention to Delivery Systems

The highest-quality men’s multivitamin will not do much for you if it is too difficult to take or swallow or requires multiple daily doses.

Most men’s multivitamins come in vegetarian capsules or coated tablet delivery systems, making them easy to swallow with liquid.

Choosing a brand that requires a single daily dose can also enhance your chances of success.

For example, Country Life’s Core Daily-1® Daily Multivitamin For Men and Core Daily-1 ® for Men 50+ Multivitamin utilize a convenient and economical one-tablet-per-day delivery system.

Our Realfood Organics® Multivitamin For Men and MAX For Men® Iron Free Multivitamin use a two-tablet-per-day delivery system, which allows you to take them at one or two intervals throughout the day.

All Country Life tablets have a slender shape and an all-natural, gluten-free, plant-based coating that helps them go down quick and easy.

Some brands offer liquid multivitamins or gummies, which may be a good choice if you can’t swallow pills, but check labels for artificial ingredients like dyes, sweeteners, and gums.

Step 4: Choose Your Men’s Multi Based on Your Season of Life

While it is not essential, choosing a men’s multivitamin based on age can help ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

For example, Country Life’s Core Daily-1 ® for Men 50+ Multivitamin includes key nutrients that benefit men in their 50s and beyond, such as:

• Extra DHA for cognitive and cardiovascular health
• Lycopene and saw palmetto for prostate health
• Antioxidants and bioflavonoids for cell and prostate health
• Digestive-support enzymes and probiotics

Formulas may also include different ratios of various vitamins and minerals designed to optimize well-being during life’s seasons.

Step 5: Don’t Pay Extra for Bogus Ingredients

High-quality supplements, including multivitamins, generally cost more than lower-quality brands.

However, many low-quality brands are grossly overpriced, which is why it pays to follow this five-step vetting system.

For example, many generic and even big-brand multivitamins contain cheap forms of synthetic nutrients with inferior bioavailability, like Vitamin D2 instead of D3, non-methylated B vitamins, and cheap fish oil.

They may also contain artificial ingredients, dyes, and fillers while lacking optimal amounts of nutrients and/or symbiotic ingredients.

Fortunately, you can find potent, high-quality men’s multivitamins that won’t break the bank.

A reputable vitamin company will do the following:

• Source the highest-quality vitamins, minerals, and nutrients
• Test for contaminants such as heavy metals, mold, bacteria, etc.
• Rigorously test raw materials and end products to ensure safety, potency, and label accuracy
• Use non-GMO ingredients
• Will not use artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or other ingredients

Country Life Men’s Multivitamins exceed this criterion and are also Certified Gluten-Free and manufactured in a Certified Organic cGMP-compliant facility.

We’re also a B-Corp and have been around since the 1970s, which is unusual for a supplement company.

The Best Men’s Multivitamin FAQs

Still have questions about choosing the best men’s multivitamin? Check out these frequently asked questions.

Q: Do I need a multivitamin if I already eat healthfully?

Not necessarily. The best way to get your nutrients is to eat a healthy and varied diet rich in colorful vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains.

However, a multivitamin can help fill in any nutritional gaps and help restore deficiencies or insufficiencies of specific nutrients.

Check with your healthcare practitioner for individual recommendations.

Q: Should I take additional supplements, like vitamin D or probiotics, if I’m already taking a men’s multivitamin?

Eating a healthy diet and taking a multivitamin should meet your nutritional requirements.

However, some men may benefit from taking additional supplements, especially if they have a health issue, nutrient deficiency, or goal they’re seeking to address.

For example, many healthcare practitioners recommend extra vitamin D, especially in winter, to support immune function, bone density, and hormonal health.

Omega-3 supplementation is also generally recommended for cardiovascular function, B12 levels can dip as you age, and probiotics are often a staple for microbiome health.

It also depends on what type of multivitamin you’re taking, as their ingredients and formulations can vary.

For example, Country Life’s Core Daily-1® Daily Multivitamin For Men and Core Daily-1 ® for Men 50+ Multivitamin contain a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and whole foods extracts along with digestive enzymes, male-supportive herbs, and probiotics, ensuring a good bang for your buck!

Q: Should I look for whole food-based men’s multivitamins, or is synthetic better?

This question is hotly debated. One side insists food-based vitamins are best, while the other says there’s absolutely no difference between synthetic and food-based vitamins.

However, the truth appears to lie somewhere in the middle, with some research showing whole foods nutrients may be better absorbed, while other studies suggest certain synthetic vitamins may be better absorbed than whole foods varieties.

Ultimately, more research is needed and you get to choose between whole foods, synthetic, and hybrid brands, all of which appear to provide benefits.

See What Is a Real Food Multivitamin and What to Look For? for more information.

Q: What about herbs in men’s multivitamins?

Some men’s multivitamins contain certain herbs that have been studied for their effects on men’s health.

For example, Core Daily-1® Daily Multivitamin For Men contains a men’s health blend of herbs and superfoods with varying ingredients such as:

• Saw palmetto for prostate health
• Eleuthero for energy and performance
• Aloe vera for digestive function
• Ginger root extract for digestion, cardiovascular, immune, and inflammation support

If you’re unsure about taking herbs, check with your healthcare practitioner or choose a multivitamin without herbs, like Country Life MAX For Men® Iron Free Multivitamin.

Discover Country Life’s Top-Rated Men’s Multivitamin Supplements

If you’re ready to take action, check out Country Life’s men’s multivitamins and men’s supplement line.

Our top-rated men’s multivitamins come in a variety of formulas and delivery systems, including:

• MAX For Men® Iron Free Multivitamin
• Core Daily-1 ® for Men 50+ Multivitamin
• Realfood Organics® Multivitamin For Men
• Core Daily-1® Daily Multivitamin For Men

Sources Mentioned in this Article:

• “Multivitamin/mineral Supplements”. National Institutes for Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Vitamin A Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Vitamin D Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Vitamin E Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Vitamin K Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Thiamin Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Riboflavin Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Niacin Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Niacin in the Central Nervous System: An Update of Biological Aspects and Clinical Applications”. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
• “Pantothenic Acid Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Vitamin B6 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Higher vitamin B6 intake is associated with lower depression and anxiety risk in women but not in men: A large cross-sectional study”. Int J Vitam Nutr Res.
• “Folate Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Biotin Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• “Health benefits of fruit and vegetables are from additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicals.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
• “Synthetic vs. “Natural” Vitamins”. Realities of Nutrition. Judi S. Morrill.