Sports nutrition has long been the gateway for men to learn about the impact of the diet on health, not just strength and endurance. Furthering this nutrient education, Men’s Fitness online has published a Supplement Guide that provides a detailed overview of ingredients such as vitamins D and B (folic acid), minerals such as selenium, and a miscellaneous bunch led by coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), fish oil, glutamine and creatine.
The individual articles are, unfortunately, not compiled in one Supplement Guide index (from what I could find), but the research/benefit and dosage information each contains makes the reading worth the legwork, especially for the average male consumer looking for a convenient reference. From the popular athletic supplements like glutamine (protects from muscle loss and supports recovery from trauma and various wounds) and creatine (popular among young athletes, studied for improved performance and muscle building) to more widely popular supplements such as CoQ10 (crucial for energy production, noted for research on cancer and heart disease) and fish oil (noted for beneficial effects in heart health, cancer, mental health, arthritis and other degenerative problems), the Guide contains few surprises for most followers of men’s health.
However, there are also entries for some nutrients more commonly known for benefits to women’s health, including folic acid (protein facilitator and production supporter of red blood cells and new DNA; highlighted for positive research results on homocysteine-related heart disease, memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease, triglyceride breakdown in diabetes, and adjunctive therapy for depression) and the bone health and calcium supporter vitamin D (studied for improved longevity, reduced heart disease risk, inhibition of high blood pressure and decreased risk of certain cancers.)
In addition to dosage info, which are often tied to research or health expert recommendations, the guides discuss dietary (or environmental, in the case of vitamin D) sources for each nutrient, as well as any known and/or researched side effects of supplementation with these nutrients. Overall, it isn’t a bad starting point for men interesting in delving into how their diet affects performance and health.