Posted on 07/27/2025 9:19:06 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Rather than extending lifespan, daily multivitamin use is linked to a 4 percent higher risk of death, according to a large study of healthy U.S. adults conducted by the National Cancer Institute.
Drawing data from three extensive cohort studies, the research followed 390,124 adults across the United States for up to 27 years, making it one of the most comprehensive analyses of its kind.
Participants, all without a history of cancer or chronic diseases, were part of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, and the Agricultural Health Study. They reported their multivitamin use at the study’s start and during follow-up intervals.
The data did not support a mortality benefit for multivitamin users. Instead, the results indicated a slight increase in mortality risk. The study states, “Daily MV use was associated with a 4% higher mortality risk” compared to non-users. This increased risk, though small, suggests multivitamins may not provide the expected health benefits.
The researchers accounted for other health habits such as diet, exercise, and smoking. They found that multivitamin users were generally more health conscious, often eating healthier and exercising more. However, this “healthy user effect” did not translate into a longer lifespan.
The study’s extended follow-up period allowed for a robust analysis of long-term multivitamin use. Over the study period, 164,762 participants died, providing a substantial dataset to evaluate mortality trends. The consistency of the findings across different cohorts and follow-up periods strengthened the conclusion that MV use does not significantly impact mortality rates.
He emphasized that individual nutritional needs can vary greatly and change over time, which the study did not account for. This variability means that the weakest nutritional link in one person might not be the same in another, and it can shift based on various factors.
“We have no idea what the baseline nutritional status was of any of the folks in the study or if they even needed a multivitamin to begin with,” Dr. Bauerschmidt said. This omission is significant because without knowing the initial nutritional deficiencies, it is challenging to determine the true impact of multivitamin use, he said.
Another concern is the imbalance of minerals in many multivitamins. Robert Love, a neuroscientist, noted in a video , “Multivitamins are deficient in some minerals that most of us are lacking—specifically magnesium and zinc.” He noted that 40 to 70 percent of Americans are deficient in magnesium and many multivitamins also lack adequate zinc, crucial for brain health and immunity. Conversely, multivitamins often contain excessive amounts of minerals such as copper and iron. Mr. Love said that too much copper can cause oxidative stress and brain damage, especially if it is not balanced with zinc.
Similarly, high iron levels , which most Americans do not need, can contribute to oxidative damage and accelerate aging . This imbalance may negate potential benefits and be harmful long term. Renowned scientist David Sinclair, a tenured professor at Harvard Medical School, avoids multivitamins due to concerns about excessive iron intake.
“They did their best to control for things like the possible ‘sick user effect,’ but there could be other factors not fully accounted for, such as differences in how often people see their doctors or other health habits that aren’t reflected in the available data sets, which might influence the results,” he said. While the study states that multivitamins do not benefit longevity, it is harder to say with certainty that they cause harm, he added.
The study mainly focused on mortality, leaving open the possibility that vitamins may have other health benefits or risks not measured in this research. “Although the study did not find evidence of any benefit with respect to mortality, that does not rule out the theoretical possibility for some other type of benefit that they weren’t measuring,” Mr. McSweeney added.
Mr. McSweeney’s personal view is clear—if a health care provider recommends a supplement, follow their advice. “However, in cases where people may be choosing to take new supplements based on things they see on social media, I still don’t see strong evidence that justifies spending a lot of money on products that don’t seem to offer significant health benefits,” he said.
He suggests that people might be better off spending their money on healthy foods rich in dietary fiber and phytonutrients. “Such foods are pricey these days with inflation, but have very clear benefits for health,” he concluded.
Its nice to hear that someone who has knowledge and has looked into it takes Centrum, I use Equate which I’m under the impression is the same vitamin.
You have probably read this article before, its old but I assume nothing has changed.
“In a recent test of multivitamins, ConsumerLab.com found that Equate-Mature Multivitamin 50+ sold by Wal-Mart was just as good as the name brand Centrum Silver, but at less than a nickel a day is half the price.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/health/05patient.html
Give it a week another study will prove this one wrong.
The BEST Multivitamin is a 12 Ounce steak, without the fat cut off. Once that is understood by Americans, MAHA will have succeeded, and the Leftists will have been defeated.
“ The kind you swallow, or the kind you put in your butt?”
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You should read the directions carefully. Those capsules should not be placed in your butt.
Now do vaccines...
The body can store retinol and excess is harmful. Multivitamins contain retinol. People with a lot of retinol have more bone problems.
People who consume more retinol have more bone problems.
Retinol Intake and Bone Mineral Density in the Elderly
https://academic.oup.com/jbmr/article-abstract/17/8/1349/7592186
My theory: MV usage gives people a false sense of good health and so are more likely to engage in more harmful behaviors, including over-eating and excessive use of alcohol.
Gunga, maybe you should return to Inja.
I'm guessing that's within the MOE of this study, or close enough that the study's results are meaningless.
Why? And give up the American dream life here? Come on man!!
I know you actually like me.
I think you hit the nail on the head
if possible, grow your own food
and stay away from processed food
Did the study consider that a large portion of partakers of these popular supplements do so because of medical issues, thus being more likely to have a higher mortality rate.
Nothing wrong with bacon & eggs balanced with veggies and HARD WORK or exercise.
I belonged to a country club for many years in Washington State. In a private club you get to know all frequent golfers. What I noticed is most were somewhat overweight, drank 3 drinks after playing 18. But never heard of anyone getting from heart attacks. That daily activity on golf course made them immune from heart issues. I walked the course. Most members rode carts. My health took a giant upward leap from walking 30 miles every week playing 5 rounds of 18. It was shocking to watch my health issues disappear one by one just from exercise.
When I first took B-12, it many years ago and was based on reading a professional level medical text article about the signs of a B-12 deficiency. I had developed fatigue, mild verbal aphasia, and short term memory problems that my doctor blithely dismissed as due to stress and over-work.
My reaction to several tablets of B-12 within a few hours on a Friday evening was such that I barely slept for the next three days due to a sudden burst of energy and mental activity.
The cause of the B-12 deficiency was unrecognized celiac disease, with a tooth extraction that required nitrous oxide gas probably aggravating that preexisting condition. A few months after taking the B-12, I stopped eating gluten and my health improved dramatically.
Good points. I have used the Adkins diet several times to good effect for weight loss. I also often add vitamin K-2 to my combination. I rely on multivitamins for iodine.
Years ago, I noticed that cheap multivitamins consistently resulted in me getting a cold. It happened several times in a row and put me off taking vitamins for some years. I later learned of the anti-vitamin effect with cheap multivitamins.
There was no such thing as ultra processed food when people were born in the early 1900’s. Plastic had not yet even been invented. So much has changed to make our lives easier and more pleasant, but probably not as healthy.
Of course, penicillin had not been discovered so people died of pneumonia and infections at any age.
Not a chance this is true
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