DIY: Men’s Herbal Multivitamin

Written by Kate Tietje

You may have seen The Modern Alternative Mama’s original Herbal Multivitamin recipe, and she’ll be the first person to tell you that stuff saved her!  

Flashback to 2012:

Kate used the original herbal multivitamin to try to restore her body postpartum. She used it to ensure she wasn’t deficient and was in excellent health before attempting to conceive again. Except she got pregnant anyway, and for all she knows, that tincture had something to do with it. The tincture likely played a vital role in making her body healthy enough to conceive, and it certainly staved off morning sickness during her pregnancy. Check out Nathan’s birth story.

While the original formula is excellent for women, children, and men, men have unique health needs. That’s why Kate created a formula designed for those manly needs. She also formulated a pre-made men’s herbal multivitamin — Earthley’s Nourish Him Naturally. 

Kate removed the catnip and spearmint from the original recipe, primarily used for B vitamins (important to women’s health, especially fertility). It’s not that men don’t need B vitamins, but they can be found in dandelion and nettle, too. The catnip and spearmint were reinforcements, and the spearmint, particularly, was there for folate, which is critical to fetal development. Men don’t have the same needs for these nutrients. So, what are the ingredients and the benefits?

Benefits of the Herbs

Instead, the men’s formula features five herbs: saw palmetto, ashwagandha, dandelion leaf, nettle, and alfalfa.

Saw palmetto was chosen because it supports prostate and sexual health and benefits men’s hormone balance. Additional health benefits of saw palmetto include: 

• Anti-inflammatory properties
• May support prostate health
• May improve urinary tract health
• May regulate testosterone levels
• Reduces the risk of prostate cancer
• May prevent hair loss

Ashwagandha was picked for its anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, and anti-anxiety properties. Additional health benefits of ashwagandha include: 

• May help adrenal fatigue
• May improve brain functionality
• May boost testosterone
• May lower cholesterol levels
• Anticancer properties

Dandelion is used because it promotes healthy blood sugar levels and supports liver function. Additional health benefits of dandelion include:

• Highly nutritious
• Rich in antioxidants 
• May boost your immune system
• Anti-inflammatory properties
• May aid in controlling blood sugar
• May reduce cholesterol
• May lower blood pressure
• Anticancer properties

Nettle is used because it’s an anti-inflammatory full of vitamins and minerals. Additional health benefits of nettle include:

• May boost blood antioxidant levels
• May lower blood pressure
• May help control blood sugar levels
• May support wound healing
• May reduce bleeding
• May treat hay fever/allergy symptoms

Alfalfa is used for its high vitamin and mineral content. Additional health benefits of alfalfa include:

• Rich in nutrients
• Antioxidant properties
• May lower cholesterol and blood pressure
• May improve metabolic health
• May provide menopause symptom relief
• May increase breastmilk production

Altogether, this formula is very potent and can improve men’s health!

Men’s Herbal Multivitamin

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp. dandelion leaf
• 6 tbsp. nettle leaf
• 3 tbsp. alfalfa
• 2 tbsp. saw palmetto
• 2 tbsp. ashwagandha
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable glycerin
• 1 1/2 cups filtered water

Directions:

Step 1: Gather your ingredients.

Step 2: Put the dandelion leaf, nettle, alfalfa, saw palmetto, and ashwagandha into a glass quart-size mason jar.

Step 3: Add the glycerin and the water and shake to combine.

Step 4: Let this sit in a dark, cool place for six weeks, then strain.  

The dose is about 1-2 tbsp. per day (you may find that you ‘crave’ more when you need more, so let your body’s needs guide this).

How do you stay healthy and make sure you get the nutrients required?