Taking a multivitamin won’t make you live longer, study says

During exams or heavy workload, supplements are often resorted to. multivitamins to fill nutritional gaps in the diet. Whether in tablets, pills, capsules or liquids, these vitamins and minerals support adequate nutrient intake when diet alone is not enough But what happens when you eat a healthy and balanced diet?

Various studies have shown that multivitamins are unlikely to have any beneficial effects on health. Even in some cases may be harmful if they are not taken according to medical recommendations: this is the case of high doses of vitamin A or B6.

A new large-scale analysis of data from nearly 400,000 healthy American adults followed for more than 20 years found no link between regularly taking multivitamins and a lower risk of death related to cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The study, conducted by researchers at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health and published in JAMA Network Open, sought to analyze how regular intake of vitamins and minerals affects the life expectancy and health of citizens.

To further examine the association between regular long-term multivitamin use and all-cause and all-cause mortality. cardiovascular diseases And cancerThe researchers analyzed data from three large, geographically diverse prospective studies that included a total of 390,124 American adults who were followed for more than 20 years. Participants included in this analysis were generally healthy with no history of cancer or other chronic diseases.

People who took a daily multivitamin had no lower risk of death than people who did not take a multivitamin.

There were also no differences in mortality from cancer, heart disease or cerebrovascular disease. The results were adjusted for factors such as race and ethnicity, education and diet.

The researchers noted that it is important to evaluate multivitamin use and risk of death among different populations, such as those with documented nutritional deficiencies, as well as the potential impact of regular multivitamin use on other health conditions associated with aging.

Drug interactions

In a recent article published in the journal Brain and Life, a journal of the American Academy of Neurology, stated that Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators do not have the authority to regulate or approve the safety or effectiveness of these products under the Dietary Supplement, Health, and Education Act. In this regard Barbara Gissera neurologist at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, explains: “Some of my patients believe that supplements are “natural” and believe that supplements are safer than medications, even though they are not tested for safety and effectiveness, as products. pharmacists.

Despite the recommendations, doctors recognize that the public will continue to take vitamins and supplements. With that in mind, health care providers are asking patients to tell their doctors about everything they take, as some supplements can interfere with certain medications. St. John’s wort, for example, can interact negatively with antidepressants, says Dr. Gisser.