Multivitamin Supplementation Has No Effect on Cardiovascular Risk

Taking a daily multivitamin does not reduce cardiovascular risk in older men, a new study showed, with no significant differences in the rates of myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death between vitamin and placebo supplementation. 

"The main reason for taking a multivitamin still remains to prevent vitamin and mineral deficiency," said Howard Sesso, ScD, MPH, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Los Angeles. 

Beginning in 1997, researchers followed 14,641 male physicians age 50-years or older at start in the double-blind, placebo-controlled Physicians’ Health Study II. 

During a median follow-up of 11.2 years, 1732 major cardiovascular events were reported.  When compared with placebo, multivitamin supplementation had no significant effect on the rates of cardiovascular events, or total mortality. 

"With that being said," Sesso added, "we also published results just a few weeks back looking at a modest but significant 8% reduction in total cancer, so given the fact that there are other endpoints to be considered in this equation, we would certainly want people to at least consider [taking a multivitamin] but wouldn't ... recommend it across the board."

-Michael Potts