The largest study of its kind has reached a verdict… and it’s not a positive one for multivitamins. It concludes that long-term multivitamin use has no impact on the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease or overall mortality in postmenopausal women. The study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Let’s figure out what all this means.
The study assessed multivitamin use among nearly 162,000 women over the course of about 8 years. The colossal trial (The Women’s Health Initiative) was designed to address the most common causes of death, disability and impaired quality of life in postmenopausal women. Nearly half of the study participants – 41.5 percent, reported using multivitamins on a regular basis. Multivitamin users were more likely to be white, live in the western United States, have a lower body-mass index, be more physically active and have a college degree or higher as compared to non-users. Multivitamin users also were more likely to drink alcohol and less likely to smoke than non-users, and they reported eating more fruits and vegetables and consuming less fat than non-users. This last point beautifully summarizes why people think that multis (and many other supplements) are effective in the first place – shoddy observational studies and the misinterpretation of correlation as causation. This isn’t to say that supplementation doesn’t have its place, it’s just that we need to take a more judicious look at the research and sift through the spurious claims made by manufacturers. Multivitamins: Should we bother?
Although this study is massive in its scope, it certainly isn’t the first letdown in the world of multivitamins. You may recall a study published a while back that showed an increased risk of prostate cancer in multi-takers. If you take a multi this may leave you wondering if you should bother. Here are some thoughts on multis.
Get vitamins/minerals first and foremost from whole foods.Supplementation still may be warranted for many individuals under a number of different circumstances. A multi can fill in nutritional gaps not covered by diet alone.The recommended nutrient intake for certain vitamins/minerals are more difficult to attain than others. Be sure your multi doesn’t have too much vitamin A (over 5000 IU’s), folic acid (over .4mg)Ensure your multi has adequate levels of vitamin C (90mg), E (25 IU), B6 (2mg), zinc (5-12 mg).Consider taking a separate calcium and vitamin D and even magnesium depending on your situation. In addition to calcium, women may need additional iron as well.Beware of marketing gimmicks. Manufacturers will use certain words to try and sell products. The following terms are not recognized by scientific bodies, nor do they have any definition; “clinically proven”, “high potency”, “highly concentrated”, “maximum absorption”, “natural”, “pure”, “essential”.Price does not always reflect quality. In most cases, they contain the same ingredients, and anything added or omitted by the more expensive products won’t make any difference.Sources: A. Lawson, M.E. Wright. “Multivitamin Use and Risk of Prostate Cancer in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study”. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2007 More like this in Science Feb 16, 2009
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