If you’ve ever taken a stroll through the vitamin and supplement aisle at the local grocery store you know just how many different vitamins and supplements there are to choose from. You’ve probably also noticed that there are two different sections for men’s and women’s vitamins. But is there any real difference between men’s and women’s vitamins?
After all, there isn’t much of a difference between men’s and women’s razors, soaps, or even shampoos. However, this is one area where there is very much an important difference between the Men’s and Women’s sections.
Not only is there a difference between men’s and women’s vitamins, but there are also important differences that can make a big impact on how effective those vitamins are.
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Why Is There A Difference Between Men’s and Women’s Vitamins?
Men and women’s bodies are very different. With the differences in hormones, muscle and bone density, and even anatomy come different needs and health risks.
For instance, men will never need vitamins designed for prenatal support because their bodies aren’t ever placed under the same kinds of stress and nutritional needs. But women don’t need the kind of nutritional support and vitamins men need to maintain prostate health.
Men and women also have noticeably different health risks. For instance, women tend to suffer from declining bone density much earlier and much faster than men. Men also need vitamins that support their higher muscle density much more than most women need the same support.
By targeting each type of vitamin toward the most common needs for each gender, multivitamins can make themselves significantly more effective. It’s important not only to make sure you get a high-quality vitamin but also to match your vitamin to your needs. So if you’re looking for men’s vitamins, you shouldn’t settle for a general multivitamin or women’s multivitamin.
Common Differences Between Men’s and Women’s Vitamins
Vitamin E
Men’s vitamins tend to have a higher concentration of Vitamin E in their formulation than women’s multivitamins. That’s because Vitamin E is important for supporting good prostate health and function.
Vitamin E also provides antioxidant support that helps with more general men’s health.
Magnesium
Men’s multivitamins also generally have a higher concentration of Magnesium. While magnesium is important for both men and women, men can benefit from higher concentrations.
The higher concentration of magnesium is a good support for men’s energy levels and can help keep them going if they have declining energy throughout the day.
Magnesium also helps support muscle density and nerve health. While this is important for everyone, it’s even more important for men since they tend to have higher muscle density than women.
L-Arginine
Another ingredient that you may not even see in women’s multivitamins is L-Arginine. This supplement is important for men’s sexual health. It specifically helps improve blood vessel tone, keeping men’s cardiovascular systems healthier and more responsive.
Sime women’s reproductive systems don’t work in quite the same way, this supplement is less important. But it can be a critical support for adult men, and often gets more important as men get older.
Iron
Men’s multivitamins also tend to have a lower concentration of iron. That’s because iron is more important for women to help prevent anemia, but can cause problems for men if they get too much in their diet and supplements.