Best Supplements for Men Over 40: Top Picks for Energy, Testosterone & Vitality

Turning 40 is a major milestone in Men's Health, one that often brings about reflection, hopefully wisdom, and for many an unfortunate or unwelcome change in overall health and vitality. It's around the age of 40 that the majority of men begin to notice changes in their day to day energy levels, declines in their metabolism, reductions in muscle mass, and hidden changes in hormone levels, even if they still feel relatively healthy otherwise.

Take it from me, I've crossed that bridge, and I used to think that the way I was feeling was just a natural part of the aging process. In a way, it is completely natural, our body chemistry and cellular health changes as we get older, but that doesn't mean that nothing can be done about it. I used to just accept the way I felt as me just getting older, not knowing that there were underlying causes for it that were fairly easy to address and overcome.

So, how was I feeling when I turned 40? Like many of you, I was starting to feel more exhausted at the end of the day than I used to remember being. That change didn't magically happen over night, I think it gradually crept up on me over the recent years until one day I realized that I just wasn't my same old self I used to remember being full of drive and motivation. On top of that, I would say that my mood tended to be more easily soured, whether that was due to feeling exhausted or not, I was more easily irritable. And then comes (more like goes) the libido, or shall we say nearly lack thereof.

Something just felt "off", and I wondered if there was something wrong with me, so I scheduled a doctor's appointment with my regular physician to have my blood work and a physical exam done. While I wasn't convinced that I had any sort of major health condition, I was hopeful that I would get some answers or solutions to what was happening to me. Unfortunately for this go-around, my trusted doctor overlooked some key issues in my lab results that really should have been addressed, so I continued on into my 40th year thinking I was just going to feel that way forever.

Then one day I had a conversation with another guy around my age who seemed to have all sorts of get-up-and-go. He was a little more physically fit than I was, so I figured it may have just been his lifestyle choices, but we got to talking. In that conversation he explained to me how he previously felt, and that described how I was feeling to a "T". He claimed that it turned out for him that while he was mostly healthy, his testosterone levels were lower than ideal, and he was able to increase them back to optimal hormone levels by using Testosterone Replacement Therapy. Of course that came with needing to take weekly injections, which didn't seem appealing to me at the time, but it got me wondering if my own issues had something to do with that too.

Fast forward a few weeks from that point, and that conversation kept nagging in the back of my head, making me wonder if the solution to feeling "good" or "young" again was as easy as he described. I ended up scheduling a consultation with another doctor, and had my blood work done again (this time more thorough lab work was done). When I told the doctor how I was feeling overall, he told me that I was describing all of the classic symptoms of Low Testosterone. Sure enough, the blood work confirmed it. I was only at around a 200, which is generally considered way too low for a healthy testosterone level in men.

Personally, I feel like my low testosterone levels were something my original doctor should have brought up, so we could address it. The truth is, not all doctors understand hormones, and some don't even feel comfortable prescribing them. If you find yourself in those shoes, explore your options and be on the lookout for some guidance elsewhere in that matter.

 I got my prescription for TRT, and started to quickly bounce back to feeling like my more youthful, happy, energetic self. Even my wife started to notice my improvements, in more ways than one. Now I feel great comparatively, and am enjoying the way I feel with my testosterone levels up around 1100. What level works well for some men may feel different to others, so it can be important to explore what level feels best for you with the guidance of your trusted medical professional and routine blood work.

What Do Declining Testosterone Levels Do To Men?

Scientists claim that it is normal for testosterone levels in men to decline by around 1% per year after we hit age 30. So, if you were to assume that your baseline level would be around 800 at that time, by the time you are 40 you might be around a 720 (just the quick math). If that were true for you, then you'd probably be feeling pretty good, all things considered. But the reality is that not all men are created equal, PLUS there is a whole plethora of endocrine disruptors in our food and surroundings that can play tricks on our hormone balance too.

Once you start to experience Low Testosterone levels, you may begin feeling like:

• You are lacking sufficient energy or motivation to stay active
• Declining libido, leading to a lack of interest or drive
• Reduced muscle mass or difficulty gaining muscle
• Brain fog or other issues with mental clarity
• Mood changes, often times being more easily irritable
• Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep, despite feeling tired
• Reduction in bone density (which you usually wouldn't "feel" per say)

It is believed that the reason testosterone levels naturally decline as we get older may be due to a few different factors. One of the main factors can be related to a reduction in hypothalamic signaling, in which the hypothalamus doesn't tell our pituitary glands to release as much luteinizing hormone (LH), which is one of the hormones responsible for triggering the testes to produce testosterone.

On top of that, the testes themselves also experience a reduction in the number and quality of Leydig cells, which are where our testosterone gets produced down there. We also may begin to see an increase in SHBG in our blood stream. SHBG is the sex hormone-binding globulin, which is a type of protein that binds to our free testosterone in our blood thereby rendering it "trapped" or ineffective for use in the other parts of the body where it would be more beneficial. This is why it's also important to test for your Free Testosterone levels and not just your Total Testosterone, because you may have a "normal" amount of Total Testosterone, but if most of it is bound up by SHBG you will likely be experiencing the same symptoms as having Low Testosterone.

As a normal part of our hormone production, some of our testosterone gets aromatized (converted) into estrogen, the hormone most commonly associated with females. To a certain degree that can be okay, because men need a finite amount of estrogen to maintain proper hormone balance. Where this becomes problematic is when the body starts to convert too much testosterone into estrogen, you get the two-fold issue of lower testosterone in the blood and too much estrogen. Having too much estrogen can cause a number of issues in men, such as increase in breast tissue, mood swings, and other non-ideal conditions.

Signs You Might Need Dietary Supplement Support After 40

If you aren't quite sure if your body is showing irregular signs of aging, here are some symptoms you should be on the lookout for. Though chances are if you're here reading this article, you're at least a little curious about the way you are feeling.

• Mid-day energy crashes, or even chronic fatigue
• Mood swings or mild depression
• Poor sleep quality
• Difficulty recovering after physical activity
• Thinning hair or hair loss
• Brain fog or trouble remembering or concentrating
• Challenges in losing belly fat
• Struggling to put on muscle mass, or losing existing muscle mass
• Issues "downstairs" that might impact your relationship

If this were a checklist and you found yourself ticking off one or more of those boxes, it's probably time for you to start taking a proactive approach to managing your lifestyle and nutrition. First and foremost, go see your trusted medical professional or if you're nervous about that or find it inconvenient, there are plenty of great telemedicine companies available today that make the process easier, which some people even find more liberating than having to sit face to face with someone and tell them everything about how you feel.

The good news is that every symptom listed above is addressable, with most of those issues requiring only dietary supplements or lifestyle changes to overcome.

Best Supplements for Men Over 40

Here at World's Best Supplements, we've got you covered when it comes to Men's Health Supplements. While they may not be as fast-selling as our popular weight loss supplements, they are near and dear to our hearts and a part of almost all of our daily supplement stacks at home. We personally take what we believe in, and many of our formulas were crafted to address needs that we find to be commonly affecting men like most of ourselves.

Alpha Male Testosterone Support

As testosterone levels naturally decline with age, a targeted support formula like Alpha Male can help support more optimal and balanced levels of total testosterone and free testosterone, while also reducing the aromatization into the unideal dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Alpha Male Testosterone Support helps the body naturally increase testosterone levels in a hormone-free way by using natural plant-based ingredients such as Longjack. It also includes Saw Palmetto which may help reduce DHT levels, ideal for helping to reduce the likelihood of prostate related issues and hair loss. Taking a supplement like this at nighttime before bed may help boost the body's processes that most often occur at nighttime while you sleep.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine isn't just for bodybuilders getting jacked at the gym. Creatine Monohydrate has been shown to also support brain function, increase strength, and lean muscle mass. This makes it an ideal supplement for many of the common issues men over 40 experience in regards to energy levels, fatigue, and maintaining muscle mass.

Advanced Prostate Support

This prostate support formula is very complimentary to our Alpha Male supplement, but also stands on its own as a way to provide nutrients that are vital for optimal prostate function. This formula uses ingredients like Pygeum and Pumpkin Seed as a source of phytosterols, which have been shown to reduce DHT levels, making it ideal for supporting prostate size and function too.

Follicle Fuel Hair Growth Serum

Aging is Inevitable, But Supplements Can Improve the Journey

While you can't stop the clock entirely, certain aspects of your nutrition and lifestyle are within your power to control. By gaining an understanding about how and why your body changes over time, particularly what happens as you get over 40, you can begin to supplement strategically to optimize your energy levels, achieve hormonal balance, and potentially improve your longevity. Whether or not you can effectively add more years to your life remains to be seen, but at least you might be able to add more life to your years.

The key is to be proactive, and not always wait for fatigue or other symptoms to take control of how you live your day to day. Take control over what you can, and be aware of other potential issues you may face down the road so you can try to get ahead of them before they become all too obvious. It's always easier to maintain a healthier lifestyle when you are starting from a better position, and that's why proper nutrition, including supplementation, can help you build that strong foundation before you may even realize you needed it.