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The best way to get your vitamins and minerals is from your dieteasy to do if you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. But if your diet looks like it belongs on a fast-food menu, you need supplemental insurance. Here are the vitamins and minerals you should consider adding to your regimeneither in food or pill form.

B6 to protect plumbing

B12 for the brain

A study in the Journal of Nutrition says you can beat back colon cancer by upping your intake of vitamin B6. After studying 81,000 men, Japanese researchers found that consuming more than 1.1 mg of B6 decreases colon cancer risk by 30%. The vitamin helps protect your colon from cancerous cell mutations, according to the studys authors. Tip A bowl of Total cereal provides the extra hit of B6, as do two bananas.

A healthy dose of protein isnt all a steaks good for. Vitamin B12, an essential nutrient found in meat, may help protect you against brain loss, say British scientists. The researchers found that older people with the highest blood levels of the vitamin were six times less likely to have brain shrinkage than those with the lowest levels. B12 helps protect myelin, a casing that insulates brain nerves and keeps them functioning properly, says study author Anna Vogiatzoglou, M.Sc. Tip Other rich sources of B12 include milk and seafood. Bonus coverage To bolster your skeleton, we favor a combination of 5 mg of folate
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and 1,500 IU of vitamin B12. Men who took this duo for 1 year were 80% less likely to suffer a fracture than those popping a placebo, notes a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

C to block diabetes
U.K. scientists have found that vitamin C may help you avoid diabetes. In their study, participants who ate about 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day were 62% less likely to develop diabetes than those who consumed about 3 servings. A likely reason: Vitamin C may help prevent oxidative stress, says study coauthor Nita Forouhi, Ph.D. Thats important because oxidative stress can disrupt your bodys ability to process carbs, leading to high blood sugar. Tip Stock up on the foods that contain some of the highest amounts of C: citrus fruits, red peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, and broccoli. Bonus coverage Vitamin C is good for your heart and skin, too.

C for cold-weather exercise

While taking vitamin C wont prevent the cold virus from waylaying most people, the exception is people who exercise in freezing temperatures. In a study review, Finnish researchers discovered that cold-weather exercises, such as skiers, were half as likely to become sick if they took a preventive 500 mg of C. The vitamins antioxidant powers help keep your immune system strong during extreme exercise conditions. Tip Avoid the chewable kind, which can erode teeth.

C for the skin

Call it youth juice: Drinking OJ may help prevent wrinkles, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Scientists scrutinized the skin of 4,000 people and found that those who consumed the most vitamin C had significantly fewer wrinkles than those with a lower intake. Lead study author Maeve Cosgrove, Ph.D., says the vitamins antioxidant properties may help boost production and regeneration of collagen (the protein that keeps skin supple). Tip Try Tropicanas Antioxidant Advantage OJ. Its loaded with C and contains more total antioxidants than any other brand. Down 8 ounces daily. Bonus coverage Orange juice can save more than your mug. A glass a day cuts your oral-cancer risk by up to 40%, say Harvard scientists.
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D to survive cancer
The sun vitamin could help you survive colorectal cancer. Doctors at the DanaFarber Cancer Institute discovered that men with the highest blood levels of vitamin D were 39% less likely to die of colorectal cancer than those with the lowest levels. Tip Find it in cold-water fish and fortified milk, which has calcium as well.

E for the brain

Call it a nutrition plan for the thinking man. Rush University researchers discovered that eating vegetables may keep your brain young. In a study of 3,000 people age 65 and over, scientists calculated that those who ate more than two servings of vegetables a day had a 40% slower rate of cognitive decline than those who ate one serving or less. Specifically, green, leafy vegetables, such

V i ta m a n P o w e r : s u P e r n u t r i e n t s f o r m e n

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people experience a fishy burp as their stomachs dissolve the fish-oil capsules. Beat the burp by buying enteric-coated capsules or freezing regular capsules. Either strategy will cause the fish oil to be released in your intestine instead, says William Harris, Ph.D., a professor of medicine and biomedical sciences at the University of South Dakota.
Tip Some

as collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, and spinach, were the most effective mental medicine. The likely reason: Theyre all rich in vitamin E, a potent compound that fights the oxidative stress and inflammation that age your brain. One serving of brain-saving vegetables is equal to 1 cup raw or cup cooked. Tip For even greater protection, toss your greens with olive oil. Fat helps your body better absorb vitamin E, says lead investigator Martha C. Morris, Sc.D. Bonus coverage E can help prevent heart disease. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vitamin E shrinks the size of HDL particles, increasing the risk of plaque buildup. Although E has also been found to lower LDL levels, the study authors believe genetic factors determine the outcome.

Folate for progeny

Researchers at the University of California found that a lack of folate may sabotage your sperm. Men who ate more of the B vitamin, which is critical for the healthy development of DNA, had up to 20% fewer sperm with the wrong number of chromosomes. Studies havent proved that more folate will help, but it cant hurt to take a multivitamin to reach the recommended daily dose of 400 mcg. Tip Eat more spinach: A 2-cup serving contains about 115 mcg of folate.

Fish Oil for mental sharpness

If mental sharpness is what youre seeking, fish oil may help you hone your focus, according to research published in Nutrition Journal. After nine patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) took a daily dose of fish oil for a month, psychiatrists concluded that the patients ability to concentrate improved substantially. Credit EPA and DHA, the essential fatty acids in the oil, which bolster communication among brain cells and help regulate neurotransmitters responsible for mental focus. Even healthy adults see brain benefits from fish oil, according to the lead study author, Barry Sears, Ph.D., who suggests taking 2.5 g a day. We like Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega (nordicnaturals.com).

Folate for the brain

Save more than just money for your retirement. Folate keeps your mind young, reports a Dutch study of 1,000 men and women over the age of 60. The researchers discovered that people with the highest levels of the B vitamin in their blood had better cognitive function and fewer brain lesionsa sign of agingthan those with the lowest levels. Folate keeps your blood vessels healthy to provide a better flow of oxygen-rich blood to your brain, say the study authors. Tip For the richest sources of folate, eat beanspinto, garbanzo, black, or kidney.
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Folic Acid for memory

A supplement could help keep you sharp. Dutch scientists found that folic acid may improve your memory. The researchers say that people who took 800 mcg of folic acid every day for 3 years exhibited memories that were 5 to 7 years younger than those who didnt take the supplement. A lack of folic acid may contribute to atrophy of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays a major role in memory, says study author Jane Durga, Ph.D. Tip You can add 800 mcg folic acid to your daily diet by eating a serving of Whole Grain Total cereal for breakfast (its fortified with this B vitamin) or by consuming a supplement, such as Natures Way Folic Acid (available at iherb.com).

A Multi to defend your DNA

A multivitamin may protect you from cancer, say researchers at the University of California at Berkeley. When scientists starved human cells of vitamins and minerals, also known as micronutrients, the resulting effect was DNA damagea common culprit in deadly diseases like cancer. And even though most peoples diets arent dangerously deficient in vitamins and min-

erals, intakes are typically inadequate. The result is that your bodys stores of micronutrients are used for immediate needs instead of repairing damaged DNA, which would help preserve long-term health, says study author Bruce Ames, Ph.D. The solution: Take a mens-formula multivitamin, such as Centrum or Nature Made, to safeguard your genes. Tip Always pop your multi with a meal. Food improves the absorption of nutrients and reduces the chances that the multivitamin will upset your stomach, says Tod Cooperman, M.D., president of consumerlab.com, an independent research group that tests supplement quality. Even better, swallow your vitamin with the same meal every day; in a few weeks, youll have formed a crucial habit. Most people have multivitamins at home but dont take them on a regular basis, says Melinda Manore, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of nutrition at Oregon State University. A caveat: If you take your multi with breakfast, avoid washing it down with your morning latte. The caffeine in coffee can prevent your body from absorbing vitamins A and B and the minerals calcium, copper, manganese, and zinc.

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