Multivitamins are a combination of many different vitamins that are normally found in foods and other natural sources. These are used to provide vitamins that are not being sufficiently consumed in one’s diet. Multivitamins are also used to treat vitamin deficiencies caused by illness, pregnancy, poor nutrition, digestive disorders, and many other conditions.
For decades, doctors and health experts alike have suggested taking a daily multivitamin as a dietary supplement. In recent years though, more research calls to question whether or not these supplements, which can be very costly, are truly necessary.
StudyFinds has published research on both sides of the debate. World-renowned physicians and mental health experts say multivitamins can do our bodies lots of good. But for those unsure about taking them, here’s a look at five pieces of published research that suggest the very opposite.
Note: The original post for each study, including journal citation, is posted as “READ MORE” after each section.
Multivitamins don’t prevent heart attacks, stroke, cardiovascular death
Research shows that multivitamin supplements have no effect on heart health, and won’t reduce one’s odds of suffering a heart attack, stroke, or even death from a heart-related condition.
The study examined data from 18 different studies on multivitamin and mineral supplements. Results for more than 2 million people were recorded, with an average follow-up about 12 years from the start of their respective study. Findings show no clinical benefit of multivitamin and mineral use to prevent heart attacks, strokes or cardiovascular death. Thus, it only adds to a growing body of evidence that multivitamins are more taboo than anything else.
While the study shows no health benefits, there doesn’t seem to be any harm in taking vitamin supplements either. Still, in light of this, the study does not recommend using multivitamin or mineral supplements to prevent cardiovascular diseases. There’s just no substitute for a balanced, nutritious diet with more fruits and vegetables that limits excess calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, sugar and dietary cholesterol.
READ MORE: Research: Multivitamins Don’t Prevent Heart Attacks, Stroke, Cardiovascular Death
Won’t reduce the risk of dying from COVID-19
Taking a few extra vitamins while dealing with a case of COVID-19 certainly seems to make sense. However, a new study finds immune-boosting supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc do virtually nothing to lower a patient’s risk of dying from coronavirus.
The study reviewed a new set of COVID-19 hospitalization data to formulate this review, warning that there is no real evidence that supplements actually treat or lessen the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. This aims to correct the misconception that if you load up on zinc, vitamin D or vitamin C, it can help the clinical outcome of being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Specifically, the study analyzed 26 global peer-reviewed studies encompassing 5,600 hospitalized COVID-19 patients for this project. Results show no evidence of a drop in mortality rates among COVID-19 patients taking vitamin D, vitamin C, or zinc supplements in comparison to other patients. However, the data did suggest that vitamin D supplementation in particular has a loose association with lower rates of intubation and shorter hospital stays.
In a continued survey of people taking a vitamin D supplement habitually prior to contracting COVID. Once again, the study did not find a significant change in mortality rate among these individuals. The study wants to make it clear that their work is in no way stating that vitamins are unhealthy or should be avoided. It is solely indicating that vitamins will not lower COVID-19 death risk.
READ MORE: Taking vitamins won’t help lower the risk of dying from COVID-19
Multivitamins, other common supplements have no health benefits
Taking multivitamins or other commonly consumed vitamin and mineral supplements won’t actually provide you any health benefits, but they won’t harm you either, one study finds.
The study conducted a review of 179 studies on popular vitamin supplements published between January 2012 and October 2017. Studies covered a vast spectrum of supplements, including vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folic acid), C, D and E; and mineral supplements β-carotene; calcium; iron; zinc; magnesium; and selenium. Multivitamins that contained a wide variety of the vitamins and minerals were also reviewed.
Results of the study conclude that the most commonly consumed supplements — multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin C — had no effect on a person’s risk of suffering a heart attack stroke, heart disease, or early death. Moreover, findings show that intake of multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium or vitamin C, does no harm – but there is no apparent advantage either.
The only supplements that showed any benefit among the studies were folic acid or B-vitamins that contained B6, B12, and folic acid, which could lower one’s risk of heart disease and stroke. Thus, these findings suggest that people should be conscious of the supplements they’re taking and ensure they’re applicable to the specific vitamin or mineral deficiencies they have been advised of by their healthcare provider.
READ MORE: Study: Multivitamins, Other Common Supplements Have No Health Benefits
No reduction in heart disease risk, even in people who have poor diets
Taking multivitamins won’t help people improve their chances of developing heart disease, even in those who have poor diets.
The study examined 13,316 participants who completed in-depth food frequency questionnaires. Sought to determine whether or not those who exhibited unhealthier dietary conditions would find more benefit to multivitamins than those who already enjoyed a nutritious diet.
Results of the study show no raised or reduced risk of the disease years after the study began, compared to those who took a placebo. Moreover, the study also found that poor nutrition made no difference in the effect of daily multivitamin consumption on cardiovascular disease risk or overall mortality.
Intuitively, many had thought that men with ‘poor’ nutritional status at baseline may benefit more from long-term multivitamin use on heart-related outcomes. However, there is no seen evidence for this in the recent analysis. Thus, it remains critical for people to understand its role on nutritional status and other long-term health outcomes, especially through clinical trials.
READ MORE: Multivitamins Don’t Reduce Heart Disease Risk, Even In People Who Have Poor Diets
Health benefits of multivitamins ‘may all be in the mind’
The health benefits of taking multivitamin supplements may be all in the mind, scientists suggest. People’s positive expectations could be behind the benefits of multivitamin and mineral tablets as there is no hard evidence otherwise.
The study collected data on 21,603 adults in the United States who took part in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. Of the sample, 4,933 people reported taking multivitamin or mineral tablets regularly.
Findings reveal that regular multivitamin or mineral supplement users reported 30 percent better overall health than those who didn’t take them. However, there was no difference between those who did and didn’t take them in any of the five psychological, physical or functional health outcomes assessed. Two possible explanations were offered for the findings: either people who regularly take supplements simply believe they will give them a health boost, or they are generally more positive about their personal health, regardless of what they take.
The effect of positive expectations in those who take multivitamin or mineral supplements is made even stronger when one considers that the majority of them are sold to the so-called “worried-well.” Nevertheless, the lack of any difference in the health outcomes assessed is in line with other studies indicating that multivitamin or mineral supplements don’t improve overall health in the general adult population.
READ MORE: Power of positivity: Health benefits of multivitamins ‘may all be in the mind’
It’s worth noting that StudyFinds does not agree nor disagree with these studies. If you are thinking about taking a multivitamin supplement or are considering stopping, you should absolutely speak with your physician or health care provider first.
I have seven relatives who are doctors. None give any credence to the benefits of taking any type of multi-vitamin but say “it’s your money and spend it as you like if it gives you some sort of peace of mind”. Still, every senior is bombarded with advice in the media – virtually, nonstop on TV, to take any of a number of over-the-counter supplements to enhance your overall wellness. I can’t see how any of them can hurt you, so was at least happy to see they don’t in any study. I know many who take MANY times the recommended units of some vitamins – have always felt that just doesn’t seem too smart. Interesting article, however.
No real need to actually go through with any of these “studies”. Find out who is funding them and what “result” they hope for, those will inevitably be what the study says. The actions of the “medical professionals” the last 2 plus years has proven they lie, manipulate, and censor to get out only the “results” they want to he heard
???? ???? And 105 other studies prove that they DO improve your health.
There wouldn’t be a big pharma agenda here, would therrrre???
Big pharma is who makes and sells vitamins…
Exactly
No big pharma is creating new medicines, they don’t make and sell vitamines, any company can freely do it. That’s why they don’t want you to be healthy with vitamins/minerals.
Haha, I love it. So anybody, from a mechanic to a lady who claims she breathes sunlight, can distribute vitamins. That’s the reason they’re more trustworthy. Got it.
I believe that Big Pharma wants to control the over the counter supplements and if they keep lobbying Congress, it will happen. Sad
Durbin is doing that again, right now. He’s a fraud
“Vitamins will not help you.” Research brought to you by Big Pharma.
We do have one pill that cures everything. Only $299.99 per month. FDA approved (sort of).
.
I wouldn’t trust any report such as this one which simply says “Research finds that…” without giving any specifics about what research and who conducted it. At the very least this is bad journalism. Or does the management of this site have its own dog in the fight?
It’s unfortunate that StudyFinds actually publishes this kind of garbage information. StudyFinds holds such great potential as a worthy news source and now, it’s ruined. As the other comments noted, there are clearly dark agendas at play that serve StudyFinds financially. The idea that proper vitamin & mineral supplementation does not have a positive affect on human physiology is absurd after the great work of so many medical & science professionals for most of documented human history. StudyFinds…I think you’re finally cancelled!
Welcome to another conspiracy theory. According to this article, I can infer that there is no such thing as beri-beri or scurvy. (Two fatal diseases caused by lack of specific vitamins.)
80% of grocery stores here in USA are stuffed with very profitable but cheap easy to afford junk foods while nutritious foods are more expensive for the consumer. That’s all you need to know. Take the vitamins and supplements. This article is BS.
When I attended dental school in 1970, all of our pharmacology professors said vitamins (vital-minerals) were useless especially with a healthy normal diet. There are some RARE conditions where there is a deficiency. People are wasting a lot of money on “placebos”
The benefits are actually really obvious when you look at nutrient deficiency diseases paired up to the nutrient qualities in everyday foods. Grain products are mandated to have some form of enrichment to keep kids from dieing, this practice of ‘food fortification’ has been around since 1941. Breakfast is almost always a grain product and the ‘food pyramid’ recommends 6-11 servings of grain products each day, that is a lot of vitamins and minerals, but hardly anyone eats even the minimum in that pyramid thus supplements.
Most multi-vitamins are a bad joke. That should be obvious. How do you get all those supplements into one little pill? By using the cheapest means available with the least bio-available ingredients. Magnesium, for instance. Multi-vitamins use magnesium oxide which is the most useless form with only a 4% absorption rate, but they can put enough mg of it in that little pill to say it provides some %DV, which is basically a lie because it is not actually bio-available and doesn’t provide that %DV, at all.
Which multivitamins did they test? Many use cheap synthetic ingredients with poor absorption at levels too low for any benefit.
Stop reading stupid internet articles and read the Bible.
Jesus is alive and He wants to know that He has saved you!
Everyone knows that only vaccines and pharmaceuticals provide health.
Obviously the scope of this study couldn’t cover ALL supplements. So take that into account.
However, in the last 75 years food manufacturers have been supplementing their products (cereal and bread are excellent examples) with vitamins. I think the proliferation of that food fortification has resulted in multivitamins being less necessary than they otherwise would be.
But there are other supplements with tremendous health benefits, so don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!
Vitamins don’t help at all. OK. You do YOU and I will do ME. I have been taking vitamins and supplements for decades. I have done a lot of research too. Understand the “placebo effect” and know what does and does not work. Ask yourself one question: Who is looking after you? The medical community that makes a great living off your your illness from deficiencies or you?
If I have no conscience and made my living off of sick vitamin deficient people; vitamins and supplements would have me up at nights for sure! They would be an enemy to my $$$ and way of life. The only positive thing from articles like this is that they might keep supplement prices down due to a lower demand. If people only knew what certain vitamins and supplements do what they would be mad as hell. I will keep it to myself. Don’t want certain things banned. Just living my healthy life with no covid since the beginning of the pandemic. Just laughing at the ignorance of the masses.
This reminds me of Robert Cummings (the vitamin addicted actor) quote in his advanced age: “I’d like to tell all my friends about how vitamins are good for you but they’re not around anymore.” That’s as close as I can get on the quote.
Please cite your references. We need to be able to read the original research to see if it says what you say it says.
I had bloodwork done and discovered I had a vitamin D deficiency
My doctor prescribed me a supplement. I took it for several weeks and went back for more labs.
Guess what? My vitamin D level went up
A terribly written article. If what we eat has no effect, you can eat al all sugar diet. Or you don’t have to eat at all since anything you ingest according to this article, does nothing.
The people who wrote this need to eat a bag of prunes, or given the content, they may have already.
You are what you eat, the basic building blocks of your body is found in what you eat and if you do not ingest the right amounts of foods, you will get sick. multi vitamins are a great way to insure you get the basic nutrients your body needs. And there are literally thousands of studies showing the positive effects of the individual vitamins found in multi vitamins.
This is purely an anti-vitamin anti health food targeted article, the writers should be ashamed for such a poorly written and researched article.