27 June 2024 , 15:30
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A new study has cast doubt on the effectiveness of multivitamins, a daily pill taken by nearly half of Brits to boost their health and wellbeing. The research suggests that these popular supplements may not provide the health benefits people expect, particularly when it comes to longevity.
The multivitamin industry is far from small-scale, with the global market for such supplements estimated to be worth tens of billions each year. In the UK alone, almost half of adults take multivitamins or dietary supplements at least once a week.
However, despite their popularity, researchers have warned that these pills may offer dubious health benefits and could even be harmful. US researchers analysed health records from nearly 400,000 adults without any major long-term diseases to assess the impact of daily multivitamin use on mortality risk.
The study was led by Dr Erikka Loftfield and her team at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland, was published in Jama Network. It examined data from three major US health studies, all initiated in the 1990s, which collected information on participants' daily multivitamin use.
The records tracked participants for over two decades and found no evidence that the daily pill reduced the risk of death. Instead, they discovered a 4% higher mortality risk associated with multivitamin use. The researchers suggested this increase might indicate a trend for individuals to start taking multivitamins when they fall ill.
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The government research warned that "multivitamin use to improve longevity is not supported". They also found a particular concern around using supplements as a substitute for real grub, pointing out that while natural nosh like beta-carotene can fend off cancer, popping beta-carotene supplements might actually up your risk of heart disease.
What's more, many multivitamins contain Iron, which could, when taken in excess, increase the chances of developing diabetes and dementia. But it's not all doom and gloom for multivitamin fans. The study does acknowledge their worth in certain situations, like correcting specific deficiencies, according to Dr Neal Barnard, a professor at George Washington University and co-author of a commentary that accompanied the study.
And it's not just about living longer, there's a glimmer of hope that these daily doses could keep our brains sharper for longer, with a 2022 study suggesting they might slow cognitive decline in the elderly. Still, more research is needed in that department.
Dr Barnard concluded multivitamins "overpromise and underdeliver" and that the "science is not there" for ditching a good old-fashioned balanced diet and active lifestyle in favour of pill-popping. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston Medical School, told The Guardian that the study's findings were "not surprising". However, he highlighted that using multivitamins to supplement a healthy diet could still be beneficial.
He said: "An example of this might be vitamin D where adults in the UK are encouraged to take as a supplement in winter or vegans and vegetarians who might benefit from a supplement of vitamin B12."