What Vitamins Should a Man Over 40 Take? A Whole-Food Approach to Energy, Cognition, and Recovery

After 40, the conversation about nutrition changes. The body's requirements do not necessarily increase, but its capacity to absorb and utilise certain nutrients does decline. Stomach acid production drops. CoQ10 synthesis slows. Zinc status can fall without any obvious change in diet. The result is a gradual widening of the gap between what you eat and what your body actually gets from it.

Most men respond by reaching for a multivitamin. The evidence suggests this may not be the most effective approach. A 2024 cohort study of 390,124 adults published in JAMA Network Open found no association between daily multivitamin use and lower risk of death from any cause over more than 20 years of follow-up. (Loftfield et al., JAMA Network Open, 2024.)

This article looks at the specific nutrients that matter most for men over 40, why the form and source of those nutrients affects outcomes, and how a whole-food approach can address the gaps that a synthetic tablet cannot.

The Nutrients That Matter Most After 40

Vitamin B12: Absorption Declines With Age

Vitamin B12 contributes to normal neurological function, red blood cell formation, and energy metabolism. (EFSA, 2015.) It is one of the most important nutrients for cognitive health as men age, and one of the most commonly deficient.

The problem is absorption. B12 in food is bound to protein and requires stomach acid and pepsin to be released for absorption. As men age, stomach acid production naturally declines. Atrophic gastritis, which affects up to 30% of people over 60, further reduces the stomach's ability to release B12 from food proteins. (Hughes et al., Annals of Clinical Biochemistry, 2013.) B12 deficiency is estimated to affect 10 to 15% of people over 60. (Annual Reviews, Nutrition, 1999.)

Chicken liver provides approximately 700% of the daily value for B12 per 100g cooked serve, making it one of the most concentrated food sources available. (USDA FoodData Central, 2024.) For men with declining absorption capacity, a highly concentrated food source delivers more usable B12 per serve than a moderate-dose synthetic tablet.

Zinc: The Quiet Decline

Zinc is an essential mineral that contributes to normal testosterone levels, normal immune function, and normal protein synthesis. (EFSA, 2010.) It is required daily because the body cannot store it, and intake tends to decline with age as dietary patterns shift.

The relationship between zinc and testosterone is well established in the research literature. A landmark study demonstrated that healthy men with even mild zinc deficiency showed a significant decrease in serum testosterone, which normalised when zinc was restored. (Prasad et al., Nutrition, 1996.) Mild zinc deficiency also affects immune cell function, including natural killer cell activity and interleukin-2 production. (Prasad, Molecular Medicine, 2008.)

Chicken liver provides approximately 36% of the daily value for zinc per 100g cooked serve. (USDA FoodData Central, 2024.) Unlike zinc supplements (which can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and interfere with copper absorption at high doses), zinc from whole-food sources is consumed alongside its natural cofactors and within a food matrix that moderates absorption.

CoQ10: Your Body Makes Less of It Every Year

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a compound found in the mitochondria of every cell. It plays a central role in cellular energy production (ATP synthesis) and acts as an antioxidant. The body produces CoQ10 naturally, but production declines with age, making dietary intake increasingly important. (Bolt Pharmacy, 2026.)

Chicken liver is one of the richest natural food sources of CoQ10, providing approximately 11.6mg per 100g. (Swanson, 2024; Swolverine, 2021.) For context, beef heart provides 11.3mg and beef liver 3.9mg. Most synthetic CoQ10 supplements contain 100 to 200mg per dose, but the bioavailability of supplemental CoQ10 varies significantly depending on the form and carrier. Dietary CoQ10 from whole-food sources is consumed within its natural lipid matrix, which supports absorption.

This is a talking point most organ meat and whole-food supplement brands miss entirely. Men over 40 who are aware of CoQ10's role in cellular energy are typically buying it as a separate supplement. Chicken liver delivers it as part of a broader nutrient package.

Choline: The Cognitive Nutrient Most Men Overlook

Choline is a precursor to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory, focus, and muscle coordination. It also contributes to normal lipid metabolism. (Zeisel and da Costa, Nutrition Reviews, 2009.) Up to 90% of Australians consume inadequate amounts of choline, and most men's multivitamins do not include it at all. (Australian Eggs / SAHMRI, 2019.)

Chicken liver provides approximately 53% of the daily value for choline per 100g serve. (USDA FoodData Central, 2024.) For men over 40 who are concerned about cognitive performance and want to maintain sharp focus, choline is a nutrient worth paying attention to, and one that a synthetic multivitamin almost certainly does not address.

What a Synthetic Men's Multivitamin Actually Gives You

A standard men's multivitamin contains 20 to 30 isolated nutrients at moderate doses. The iron is typically non-heme (ferrous sulfate, 2 to 20% absorption). The B12 is usually cyanocobalamin. CoQ10 is either absent or present at token doses. Choline is almost never included. The tablet itself contains binders, fillers, coatings, and sometimes artificial colours.

Compare that to a single serve of chicken liver, which delivers B12 at 700% DV, vitamin A at 442% DV, folate at 145% DV, iron at 145% DV, selenium at 150% DV, riboflavin at 153% DV, choline at 53% DV, zinc at 36% DV, and CoQ10 at approximately 11.6mg, all from one whole-food ingredient. No synthetic tablet replicates this from a single source.

The BBBB Stack for Men Over 40

Byron Bay Bone Broth Organic Chicken Liver Capsules provide the full nutrient profile of certified organic, pasture-raised chicken liver in a convenient daily format. Two to four capsules with food deliver meaningful amounts of every nutrient discussed in this article, in their naturally occurring, bioavailable forms.

Paired with BBBB bone broth (available as powder sachets), the combination adds a second layer of whole-food nutrition: gelatin-derived amino acids (glycine, proline, hydroxyproline) that contribute to joint and connective tissue support, and naturally occurring minerals. Glycine also plays a role in sleep quality, which is increasingly relevant for men over 40 managing recovery and cognitive performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best multivitamin for men over 40?

The best approach to daily nutrition for men over 40 depends on individual needs. The nutrients most commonly affected by age-related decline are B12 (due to reduced stomach acid), zinc (due to dietary shifts), and CoQ10 (due to declining endogenous production). A whole-food source like chicken liver provides all three, alongside choline, heme iron, and selenium, in bioavailable forms that a synthetic multivitamin cannot replicate.

What supplements should a 40 year old man take?

Rather than a broad-spectrum multivitamin, consider targeting the specific nutrients that decline with age: B12 for neurological function and energy, zinc for immune function and normal testosterone levels, CoQ10 for cellular energy, and choline for cognitive performance. Chicken liver capsules from a certified organic source provide all of these from a single whole-food ingredient.

Does chicken liver contain CoQ10?

Yes. Chicken liver is one of the richest natural food sources usually called nature's multivitamin of CoQ10, providing approximately 11.6mg per 100g. CoQ10 plays a central role in mitochondrial energy production and acts as an antioxidant. Because the body's CoQ10 production declines with age, dietary sources become increasingly important.

Is zinc important for men over 40?

Zinc contributes to normal testosterone levels, normal immune function, and normal protein synthesis. Research has shown that even mild zinc deficiency can be associated with decreased serum testosterone in men. Chicken liver provides approximately 36% of the daily value for zinc per 100g serve, alongside other nutrients that support men's health as they age.

What is the Founders Club?

The Founders Club is the highest-value bundle in the Byron Bay Bone Broth range: three bottles of Organic Chicken Liver Capsules plus one Bone Broth Sachet Pack, with 20% off on subscription. It is designed as a quarterly whole-food nutrition supply for people who want consistent, daily nutrient density from certified organic Australian sources.

References

• Australian Eggs / SAHMRI. Choline: The Forgotten Nutrient. australianeggs.org.au. 2019.

• European Food Safety Authority. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for Vitamin B12. EFSA Journal. 2015;13(10):4284.

• European Food Safety Authority. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for Zinc. EFSA Journal. 2014;12(11):3844.

• Hughes CF, Ward M, Hoey L, McNulty H. Vitamin B12 and ageing: current issues and interaction with folate. Annals of Clinical Biochemistry. 2013;50(4):315 to 329.

• Loftfield E et al. Multivitamin Use and Mortality Risk in 3 Prospective US Cohorts. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(6):e2418729.

• Prasad AS. Zinc in Human Health: Effect of Zinc on Immune Cells. Molecular Medicine. 2008;14(5 to 6):353 to 357.

• Prasad AS et al. Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Nutrition. 1996;12(5):344 to 348.

• Staelin R, Baur M. Vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly. Annual Review of Nutrition. 1999;19:357 to 377.

• USDA. FoodData Central: Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, simmered. fdc.nal.usda.gov. Accessed: June 2026.

• Zeisel SH, da Costa KA. Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutrition Reviews. 2009;67(11):615 to 623.