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The nutrients men are most likely to overlook

Most men aren't short on the big stuff. There's usually enough protein, plenty of carbs, more than enough calories. It's the quieter nutrients that tend to slip through the cracks.

UK survey data backs this up: men eat less oily fish than recommended, and only around 1 in 3 hit their five-a-day. And if you've moved towards a plant-based diet, a couple more are worth a closer look.

Here are four worth knowing about: what they do, where they hide, and how to make sure you're actually getting enough.

The one the UK can't quite make enough of

Vitamin D3 contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to the maintenance of normal bones and muscles. It's one of the few vitamins your body can make itself - from sunlight on bare skin.

The catch: from around October to March, UK sunlight isn't strong enough for your skin to make any, and there's very little vitamin D in food. 

That's why the NHS advises adults to consider a daily 10µg supplement through autumn and winter. Surveys back up the gap - around 1 in 5 UK adult have low vitamin D, and the figure climbs in the darker months.

Where to find it: mushrooms, plus fortified foods - but for most people, especially on a plant-based diet, a supplement is the reliable route. 

If you do supplement, it's worth knowing most D3 is made from lanolin (sheep's wool); an algae-derived D3 is the plant-based alternative, and chemically identical.

The one even healthy eaters miss

The long-chain omega-3 DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and normal vision. 

Here's the part that catches people out: plant sources like flaxseed, chia and walnuts give you ALA, a short-chain omega-3 - but your body converts only a small fraction of it into the long-chain DHA and EPA that do the work. 

So even a genuinely healthy diet can come up short. UK survey data shows men eat far less oily fish (and that’s the usual long-chain source) than the recommended portion a week.

Where to find it: oily fish don't actually make omega-3 - they get it from the algae they eat. Which means you can skip a step and go straight to the source with an algae oil. No fish required.

The plant-based blind spot

B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, normal red blood cell formation and the normal functioning of the nervous system.

This is the big one if you're vegan or mostly plant-based, because B12 is found almost entirely in animal products. You won't get enough from plants alone - which makes it, hands down, the most important nutrient for plant-based eaters to stay on top of.

Where to find it: fortified plant milks and cereals, nutritional yeast, and a dedicated B12 supplement. If you eat little or no animal produce, the NHS recommends getting B12 from fortified foods or a supplement - every day, not just now and then.

The everyday essential

Magnesium contributes to over 300 processes in the body. It’s the key to reducing the tiredness and fatigue, normalising muscle and nervous-system function. 

A lot of us run a little low without realising - partly because modern diets lean on refined foods, which shed magnesium in processing.

Where to find it: some of the best sources are already plant-based - dark leafy greens like spinach and kale, nuts and seeds, wholegrains, beans and lentils, and (good news) a couple of squares of dark chocolate, 70% or higher.

Covering your bases

A varied, plant-rich diet does most of the heavy lifting. But a few of these are genuinely hard to get from food alone: vitamin D through a British winter, long-chain omega-3, and B12 on a plant-based diet. That's exactly where a simple daily supplement earns its place - not to replace good food, but to fill the gaps good food leaves behind.

Explore the range → 

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