About a third of American adults report take multivitaminsdata shows – but a new study suggests daily practice won’t extend longevity.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) analyzed more than 20 years of data from 400,000 healthy American adults, concluding that taking multivitamins did not reduce the risk of mortality.
“The analysis showed that people who took multivitamins daily did not have a lower risk of death from any cause than people who did not take them,” the researchers wrote in an NIH news release.
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“There was also no difference in cancer mortality, cardiac disease or cerebrovascular diseases.
According to the data, about a third of American adults report taking multivitamins. (iStock)
According to the study, published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, people who took daily multivitamins had a 4 percent higher risk of mortality.
The average age of participants was 61.5 years and 164,762 deaths occurred during the follow-up period.
“People who use multivitamins may have healthier lifestyles in general, and sicker patients may be more likely to increase their multivitamin use.” »
The results were adjusted for factors such as race, ethnicity and education. and nutrition.
The study follows a 2022 analysis by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which concluded there was “insufficient evidence” to determine whether multivitamin use improved mortality.
According to the study, published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, people who took multivitamins daily had a 4 percent higher risk of death. (iStock)
By including a larger number of participants and extending follow-up over longer periods, the researchers sought to account for potential biases that could have influenced the results.
“For example, people who use multivitamins may have healthier lifestyles “In general, sicker patients are more likely to increase their multivitamin use,” they wrote in an NIH press release.
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Pieter Cohen, associate professor of medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts, was not involved in the study but provided comments.
“This study provides further evidence that taking multivitamins, even for 20 years or more, will not extend your life,” he told Fox News Digital.
“For healthy adultsThere is no reason to add a multivitamin unless your doctor specifically recommends it.
The doctor highlights the limits
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, was also not involved in the study but weighed in on the findings.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert at Senolytix, is a proponent of daily multivitamins. (Dr. Brett Osborn)
“Key aspects of the study include its observational nature, the lack of a control group, and the variability in multivitamin formulations used by participants,” he said in an email to Fox News Digital.
(The researchers also acknowledged these limitations in their discussion of the study results.)
“Most multivitamins contain a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals, but concentrations can vary greatly between brands and formulations,” explained one doctor. (iStock)
“Observational studies like this may suggest associations or correlations, but cannot prove causation due to the potential for confounding variables influencing both multivitamin use and mortality outcomes,” a Osborn said.
Although the researchers noted that they adjusted for factors such as demographics, lifestyle behaviors and healthOsborn said, “Residual confounding factors remain a concern.”
The doctor also noted that the lack of a control group makes it difficult to compare results.
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“Without a control group, it is difficult to separate the effects of multivitamins from those of other health or baseline behaviors. health conditions this could influence mortality,” Osborn said.
The study also did not include controls for the specific formulation or dosage of multivitamins taken by participants, the doctor noted.
The study highlights the importance of “rigorous scientific investigation” into the health benefits of multivitamins, one doctor said. (iStock)
“Most multivitamins contain a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals, but concentrations can vary greatly between brands and formulations,” he said.
“Many commercially available multivitamins may not provide the optimal levels of nutrients needed for health benefits, which could dilute any potential effects on longevity.”
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In his practice, Osborn said, he recommends a daily multi-capsule multivitamin to his patients.
Vitamin use is just one aspect of longevity, the doctor stressed, along with genetics, lifestyle, socioeconomic status and access to health careamong other factors.
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“The multifactorial nature of longevity means that isolating the impact of multivitamins alone is complex and difficult, if not impossible,” Osborn said.
“There are just too many potentially confounding variables.”
The study underscores the importance of “rigorous scientific investigation” into the health benefits of multivitamins, the doctor said.
Vitamin use is just one aspect of longevity, one doctor pointed out, along with genetics, lifestyle, socioeconomic status and access to health care. (iStock)
“In my opinion, you need to take a multivitamin because most Americans are malnourished, certainly not calorically, but vitamin and mineral deficient.”
In the future, researchers highlighted the importance of measuring the impact of multivitamins on mortality in more diverse populations with different medical conditions and eating habits.
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“It is important to evaluate multivitamin use and risk of death among different types of populations, such as those with documented nutritional deficiencies, as well as the potential impact of regular multivitamin use on other health problems associated with aging,” they wrote.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the study’s researchers for comment, as well as vitamin makers PharmaVite (NatureMade), Nestlé Health Science (Garden of Life and Nature’s Bounty) and Life Extension.