Daily Multivitamins Don’t Really Help You Live Longer

However, this study did not analyze data from people who already had vitamin deficiencies (i.e., people who may need to take specific vitamins or supplements), so more research is needed to see whether multivitamin use can produce similar results in people with nutritional deficiencies.

So what is the purpose of taking a multivitamin? Multivitamins provide some, all or more of the recommended amounts of vitamins and sometimes minerals. Melissa Presto, DCN, RDNNational media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Prevention Medical Review Board“Multivitamins are used to fill in nutrient deficiencies in the diet, but for most people who eat a balanced diet, a multivitamin may not add much to an already balanced diet,” she points out.

Presto says that most longevity studies have found that diet and lifestyle are more important for longevity than vitamin supplements. “As a registered dietitian, I recommend a multivitamin after conducting a dietary assessment for anyone who has persistent poor appetite or other health issues that prevent them from consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables,” she advises.

So, can multivitamins help you live longer? It’s a long-standing, hard-to-answer question, especially with the lack of high-quality studies that control for bias and outside factors, says family medicine physician Steven Vogel, MD. Plush Care“But recent reviews, including this one in JAMA , do a pretty good job of accounting for these biases. So, in general, for healthy people with no known risk of vitamin deficiency, there’s not enough evidence to suggest that multivitamin supplementation extends lifespan,” he explains.

But that doesn’t mean you should stop taking one pill a day. Ultimately, whether or not you take a daily multivitamin depends on your personal needs. As with any supplement, some people may need more than others. Reap the benefits of a multivitaminPresto points out that whether or not you should take vitamin supplements is up to you: “At the very least, I would recommend discussing this with your healthcare provider, and also meeting with a registered dietitian who can take a detailed look at your diet and health history and advise you on what may or may not be appropriate for you,” she advises.

Multivitamins may still play an important role in helping those who currently have deficiencies or risk factors for developing deficiencies, says Dr. Vogel. “Those who struggle with alcoholism, those who eat poor-quality diets with low fruit and vegetable intake, those who follow a vegan diet, and those who have had bariatric surgery can all benefit from supplementation.” Meanwhile, those who struggle with the cost and burden of taking a daily multivitamin without a clear indication for it, or who simply recognize that a healthy lifestyle holds the brunt of the road to a longer life, should consider a multivitamin supplement as an option, Dr. Vogel explains. “At the end of the day, there is very little risk from taking supplements, so we should all look at this information as a tool to make an informed decision,” he says.

Conclusion

The study may provide a second thought to people who take supplements despite leading a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise, Vogel said. “For these people, the costs of regular supplementation and exposure to unregulated compounds in supplements may outweigh the benefits,” he said.

The study highlights that, most importantly for health and longevity, not everyone needs to take a multivitamin, Presto says. In addition to a multivitamin, “focus on healthy lifestyle habits, such as: Get enough sleepEat lots of fruits and vegetables and exercise every day Live a longer, healthier life” advises Presto.

And remember, everything multivitamin “They all have the same vitamin content, but they all have different amounts of vitamins and different types of vitamins in them,” Presto points out. Because of this, she recommends carefully reading supplement labels to ensure you’re taking the right combination of vitamins for your health needs and to avoid taking too much of any one vitamin.

Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any disease. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, be careful about taking dietary supplements. Also, be careful about giving supplements to children unless recommended by a healthcare professional.