Multivitamins Are Useless by Pamela A. Popper, Ph.D., N.D.
Over half of all Americans take a multivitamin daily at a cost of over $20 billion per year. The problem is that there is no evidence that taking multivitamins improves health or reduces the risk of developing degenerative disease. In fact, research has generally shown no benefit from taking multivitamins.
A recent study involving 161,808 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79, found that taking multivitamins did not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or many forms of cancer. The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine* and concluded that although nutrition is important, it is unlikely that multivitamins play a role in preventing chronic disease.
The data was collected from women taking part in the Women’s Health Initiative. 41.5% of the participants took multivitamins. The women were followed for an average period of about 8 years. There was no relationship between taking a multivitamin and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, or for breast, colorectal, endometrial, kidney, bladder, stomach, ovary or lung cancer. The researchers also concluded that there was no increased risk of mortality from taking the vitamins either. The researchers acknowledged study limitations that included short follow-up time and that the study population only included postmenopausal women.
I’ll agree that the study had limitations, but the fact remains that most of the evidence points to the necessity of addressing the totality of the diet in order to prevent, stop the progression of, or reverse degenerative disease. There is scant evidence that the addition of single foods or isolated nutrients has a beneficial effect. The unfortunate fact is that this study and several others like it will not likely result in a decrease in the money spent on multivitamins.
Andrew Shao, Ph.D., from the Council for Responsible Medicine, says, “…the majority of Americans fail to consume the recommended amounts of a variety of essential nutrients established by the Institute of Medicine. It is better to meet these recommendations than not, and consistently taking a multivitamin over the long-term, could help fill those nutrient gaps and may help consumers lead healthier lives.” Note the use of “could help” and “may help” – a definitive statement about the benefits cannot be made. On the other hand a definitive statement about the effects of dietary excellence and optimal habits can absolutely be made!
*Neuhaouser, M.L. et al “Multivitamin Use and Risk of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease in the Women’s Health Initiative Cohorts.” Arch Int Med Feb 9 2009 vol 169 no 3;294-304
Audrey’s note: If you would like to learn more about an optimum diet, or need help getting your nutrients from food, get in touch.