Supplements are, typically, something we add to our diet to help with something. Maybe the western diet or the human diet doesn't have enough of an ingredient in it, or - as in the case with ashwagandha - the benefits of taking said supplement are good, but to eat it would taste horrible, so we supplement. Of all of the supplements men should take, Vitamin D3 and Zinc - specifically zinc picolinate (more on this later) are at the top of the list.

Zinc and Vitamin D: Vital Supplements for Men

Zinc is one of the 24 essential minerals needed for human survival, and it helps stimulate the activity of at least 100 different enzymes, fights ED, Low T, and it's necessary for a healthy immune system. Zinc becomes more important when you're active, as zinc is depleted through sweat.

The Benefits of Zinc

1. Zinc helps treat low testosterone. This study found that zinc supplementation helped increase free testosterone and overall testosterone in elite wrestlers. Another study was able to find increases in free and overall testosterone as well. It seems as though zinc may reduce SHBG, freeing up more testosterone to do what it's designed to do (improve libido, energy, fat loss, drive, recovery). 2. Zinc blocks aromatase (the conversion of testosterone to estrogen). This study found that zinc was able to block the body's conversion of testosterone to estrogen via the enzyme aromatase by 57%. 3. Zinc is necessary for a healthy immune system. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that "zinc-deficient persons experience increased susceptibility to a variety of pathogens." In this look at several studies, it's been repeatedly found that zinc is necessary for a well-functioning immune system. " Zinc is crucial for normal development and function of cells mediating innate immunity, neutrophils, and NK cells. Macrophages also are affected by zinc deficiency. Phagocytosis, intracellular killing, and cytokine production all are affected by zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency adversely affects the growth and function of T and B cells. The ability of zinc to function as an anti-oxidant and stabilize membranes suggests that it has a role in the prevention of free radical-induced injury during inflammatory processes." This study found that zinc deficiency reduced the immune system's response to pathogens. In short, zinc helps the immune system respond to and fight pathogens. Zinc deficiency inhibits your ability to fight off pathogens. 4. Zinc aids in memory formation and brain function. Research from the University of Toronto found that zinc is crucial in regulating how neurons communicate with, even affecting how we learn and how memories are formed. What's the best form of zinc? It's zinc picolinate. You can get your full, daily dose in Man Boost (click here to learn more).

The Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D isn't actually a vitamin, but a steroid hormone that's necessary for your brain, your hormones, and your health, and 41% of Americans are deficient in it. 1. Vitamin D Boosts Testosterone Quite Effectively This study found that men with higher vitamin D levels correlated to having higher overall testosterone, free testosterone, and lower SHBG levels. This study found that when men 3332 IU’s of vitamin D3 daily for a year, they end up having 25.2% more testosterone compared to the placebo group. Supplementation with vitamin D becomes important if you're deficient in it, which happens more often as we're inside more, we have less sun exposure to our skin (which is how we absorb vitamin D), and especially during winter months in colder or cloudier climates where the days shorten quite dramatically. 2. Vitamin D May Help Fight Depression The role of vitamin D on depression is correlational, but seasonal depression is a real thing, and it's believed to occur because we're inside more often, getting less sun exposure. Low testosterone is also associated with depression. We do know that vitamin D receptors are everywhere in the brain, and including in the hippocampus. Learn more about how vitamin d reduces depression in this article. 3. Vitamin D Helps Muscle Development Optimal vitamin D levels have been found to play an important role in the performance and development of skeletal muscle. This study looked at the vitamin D blood levels of more than 200 college football athletes. The athletes with lower levels of vitamin D had a higher prevalence of muscle strain and injury.

How to Ensure You Get Enough Zinc and Vitamin D3

It's called the Vital Stack. In this stack of two of our most vital supplements, you get full daily doses of both vitamin D3 in liquid gels, and zinc picolinate (in Man Boost). In Man Boost you also get full doses of boron, IC-3, and Resveratrol Vesisorb. Each of these nutrients help block estrogen, while resveratrol also helps brain function and the immune system. The Vital Stack is a stack that every man should be taking daily if they want optimal testosterone levels and performance. You can get the Vital Stack Here and Save Big on both Man D3 and Man Boost.