Long-term daily multivitamin use has been found not to improve longevity in healthy adults as suggested by a new research analysing data from over two decades and nearly 400,000 participants in the United States.
To support their overall well-being, about 33% of adults in the US take a daily multivitamin by assuming that it may help prevent disease and contribute to a longer, healthier life, reported Medical News Today.
To determine whether multivitamins benefit longevity, previous studies have not found sufficient evidence despite widespread use.
However, the new NIH study has aimed to assess the association between multivitamin use and death related to chronic diseases, specifically cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Moreover, it also seeks to explore potential factors and biases that could affect the understanding of this association.
In the study, multivitamin use did not significantly differ by race, ethnicity, or family history of cancer.
Evidence about regular multivitamin use improving longevity among healthy adults was not found by the researchers in the study.
In fact, people who used multivitamin supplements daily had a 4% higher risk of death compared to those who didn’t use them, as per the pooled analysis.
Rather than relying on supplements to maintain health and promote longevity, consumption of a variety of nutrient-dense foods has been recommended by medical experts. These include berries, legumes, carrots, dark leafy greens etc.