A new study has found that taking daily multivitamins does not reduce the risk of death for healthy adults.
This large-scale research, which analyzed data from nearly 400,000 U.S. adults over more than 20 years, was conducted by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health and published in JAMA Network Open.
Many Americans take multivitamins hoping to boost their health. However, whether multivitamins provide real health benefits has been unclear.
Previous studies have shown mixed results, often limited by shorter follow-up periods.
This new study aimed to clarify the relationship between long-term multivitamin use and overall mortality, as well as death from heart disease and cancer.
The researchers looked at data from three large studies involving 390,124 healthy U.S. adults, none of whom had a history of cancer or other chronic diseases.
One of the strengths of this study is its large and diverse participant pool, along with over 20 years of follow-up data.
This extensive information allowed the researchers to account for possible biases that might have affected earlier studies. For instance, people who take multivitamins often lead healthier lifestyles overall, and those who are already sick might be more likely to start using multivitamins.
The findings were clear: taking daily multivitamins did not lower the risk of death from any cause compared to those who didn’t take them.
There were no differences in death rates from cancer, heart disease, or cerebrovascular diseases. The results were carefully adjusted for various factors such as race, ethnicity, education level, and diet quality.
The researchers highlighted the need for further studies to look at different populations, particularly those with specific nutritional deficiencies, to see if multivitamins might benefit them differently.
They also suggested examining the potential effects of multivitamins on other health conditions related to aging.
In summary, while many people believe in the health benefits of daily multivitamins, this comprehensive study shows that for generally healthy adults, these supplements do not lower the risk of death.
It’s always a good idea to focus on a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle rather than relying on supplements for overall health.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about plant nutrients that could help reduce high blood pressure, and these antioxidants could help reduce dementia risk.
