Study Finds Multivitamins Don’t Extend Lifespan

Living longer isn’t as simple as taking daily pills. Although vitamin supplements may benefit some conditions, they generally don’t help extend lifespan.

New research indicates that multivitamins don’t extend lifespan, although other studies suggest they may offer health benefits that improve quality of life in older age.

Researchers from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) analyzed data from over 390,000 adults across three extensive studies, focusing on multivitamin use and health outcomes over nearly three decades.

“Many US adults use multivitamins to maintain or improve health,” writes NIH epidemiologist Erikka Loftfield and her team in their study.

Mixed Evidence on Longevity

However, translating improved health into a longer life remains uncertain. The analysis supports previous studies’ largely negative findings, showing that daily multivitamins do not increase lifespan.

In fact, multivitamin users had a slightly higher (4%) risk of death from any cause in the initial years compared to non-users.

This could be due to various factors. For instance, people with minor age-related health concerns might be more inclined to use multivitamins.

Nevertheless, multivitamin users typically lead healthier lifestyles, with better diets, more exercise, less smoking, and the financial means to purchase supplements—all factors that can enhance health.

The study participants were generally healthy, with no history of cancer or chronic diseases. However, multivitamin users also had higher quality diets and lower body mass index (BMI) scores—a metric now criticized and discouraged as a health screening tool.

Confounding Factors and Variety in Multivitamins Complicate Study Comparisons

These confounding factors, which were thoroughly addressed in the study, have complicated previous analyses. Additionally, the wide variety of multivitamins has made it challenging to compare results across observational studies and clinical trials.

Even prior to these findings, experts were generally skeptical about the benefits of multivitamins, emphasizing that their effectiveness varies depending on the individual, the reason for use, and the specific vitamins involved.

Certain vitamins can benefit individuals with diagnosed deficiencies, such as iron or vitamin B deficiencies, or meet the increased nutritional needs during pregnancy.

Recent trials suggest that daily multivitamins might improve memory and slow cognitive decline, but only in older adults and for a limited time. Vitamins with antioxidant properties, like vitamin C and zinc, appear to help prevent macular degeneration, a condition leading to progressive vision loss in older adults.

However, supplements can pose risks if taken in excessive doses, combined with other vitamins, or if they interact with prescription medications.

Interactions and Side Effects of Certain Vitamins

For instance, beta carotene supplements can increase lung cancer risk in smokers, vitamin K can interfere with blood thinners, and calcium and zinc can impede the absorption of antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections.

Unlike prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, multivitamins are not subject to the same regulatory standards, allowing for exaggerated marketing claims about their effectiveness without the need for supporting evidence.

For most people, obtaining their daily vitamins through diet rather than supplements is safer. For instance, a 2023 study found that adopting healthier eating habits could potentially add up to 10 years to one’s life.

“The greater the shift towards healthier dietary patterns, the larger the expected gains in life expectancy,” noted the researchers of that study.

However, the ability to eat healthily often depends on an individual’s financial resources and access to nutritious, fresh foods.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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