Believe it or not, most Black men do not take vitamins or dietary supplements to help assist in healthy living. If daily diets are already lacking the minerals and nurtition needed to sustain maximum health, the long-term effects can be devastating.

Certain nutritional supplements have important effects on the male body and can be instrumental in supporting male-related conditions. Throughout the various stages of life, a man’s body will require different levels of nutrients. Lifestyle and family history are huge factors in dictating nutritional needs.

Nutritional supplements for Black men need to include zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and a number of herbal extracts. All are essential nutrients for male glandular functions, important fatty acids, antioxidants to help speed up recovery from exercise, and amino acid complexes essential for muscle maintenance.

Additionally, men over age 50, often need extra pantothenic acid, niacin, zinc, Vitamin A, and herbal extracts like saw palmetto and Korean Ginseng.

Pantothenic acid is essential for the metabolism of food and is a vital nutrient for the adrenal glands. Niacin plays an essential role in energy metabolism, DNA repair, and is important to healthy blood cholesterol levels. Zinc contributes to proper prostate function, testosterone development, and sperm count.

Vitamin A plays a crucial role in vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division, and cell differentiation (in which a cell becomes part of the brain, lungs, heart, etc.). Vitamin A also regulate the immune system, which helps prevent infections by producing white blood cells which destroy harmful bacteria and viruses.

Saw palmetto contains fatty acids and sterols, which is effective for the treatment of Black men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate). Korean Ginseng root is used to support masculine functions.

Clearly the importance of these dietary supplements goes far beyond eating the daily recommendations of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Black men need to be especially focused on supplementing their diets with important nutrients that help fight diabetes and promote proper prostate functionality. The percent of total deaths as a result of diabetes is much higher for Black men than White men, and African-American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer in the world. Within the U.S, African-American men have a 61% higher incidence rate of prostate cancer compared with White men.

Sadly, those numbers continue to rise.

Both of these potentially deadly diseases carry staggering statistics for Black men and reversing those stats is constant challenge.

PRINT THIS PAGE    E-MAIL PAGE    DISCUSS ARTICLE    ALL ARTICLES    TAKE A QUIZ

Web www.mybrotha.com