Taking a daily multivitamin does not help people live longer and may increase the risk of early death, according to new research. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed nearly 400,000 healthy adults over 20 years and found “multivitamin supplements to increase longevity are not supported.” Instead of living longer, people who took multivitamins were 4% more likely to die, the researchers said.
For this study, Dr. Erika Loftfield and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland analyzed data from three major US studies. All started in the 1990s, and details of the participants’ daily multivitamin use were collected. The record includes 390,124 people tracked over 20 years.
The study found no evidence that a daily multivitamin reduced the risk of death. In fact, they reported a 4% higher risk of death among users during the first years of follow-up. The risk of death may indicate the potential harm of multivitamins or the tendency of people to start taking multivitamins every day, the researchers said.
Dr. Neal Barnard, assistant professor at George Washington University and author of the commentary published with the study, explained that vitamins are useful in certain situations. Historically, sailors were kept with vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin C and E, and zinc, he said, slowing the appearance of age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to severe vision loss. Vitamins may also be beneficial without reducing the risk of early death.
However, Dr. Barnard says, “multivitamins are overrated and underrated.” “The bottom line is multivitamins don’t help. Science doesn’t.” Instead of taking multivitamins, we should eat healthy foods that provide micronutrients, macronutrients, and fiber while limiting saturated fat and cholesterol.
“What this study shows is that, in general, multivitamins are not going to help you live longer,” he told to our reporter. “Although most multivitamins are not expensive, they are still costs that many people can afford,” she says.
Instead, Dr. Kobert told the outlet that it is best for people to take vitamins that come from their diet, not supplements. “We can all benefit from adding more vegetables and whole grains or legumes to our diet, reducing red meat intake, reducing sedentary time and reducing alcohol intake.”
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