We all know people who spend a ton of money on vitamins—Vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B, any brand, any formulation. In addition to spending a lot of money for vitamins, they take duplicate brands of the same thing, or they take a multi-vitamin that contains everything you can think of. On top of that, they swear (affirm) that they feel better than they’ve ever felt and lay it directly at the feet of their magic vitamin formulation. They may even go on TV and testify to the benefit of this astounding product. There’s always someone out there among the consumer public who knows if everyone took “what I take, they would feel young and energetic again.” Yes, maybe, but do they live longer?
Well, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says these people are full of hot air. Their job (the USPSTF’s) is to analyze situations and evaluate the evidence to set the public straight! Does that multivitamin supplement really make you feel young again, clearer-headed, smarter, less forgetful, and more energetic?
In 2022, they dropped a virtual bomb on folks when they said multivitamins lacked any evidence that they lowered death rates from cancer, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular (brain) disease, or death from all causes. This conclusion was reached after studying 390,124 patients for 27 years! That’s quite an extensive analysis.
So what multivitamins really do is maximize the benefits of the placebo effect. They don’t affect BP, don’t lower cholesterol significantly, and don’t prevent arteriosclerosis. And if they do, it’s minimal in its effect and not therapeutic. Vitamin D does play a significant role in postmenopausal osteoporosis so that’s an exception.
Dr. G’s Opinion: I’m normally a critic of the USPSTF, but not this time. I agree with their position on multivitamins that there is no evidence they benefit mortality (persistence of life). They do not reduce your chances of heart disease, stroke, cancer, or any other cause of death. For a very long time I have felt multivitamins are a clear example of the placebo effect because people do feel better while taking them. But the same nutritional and health benefits can be obtained by eating a well-balanced, healthy diet. I would never, though, discourage someone from taking vitamins, but I also would never tell them they will live longer and healthier lives because of them.
Reference: Slawson DC. Regular multivitamin Use is Not Associated with a Mortality benefit. Am Fam Phys 2024 November;110(5):543.
Would multiple vitamins be helpful when going on a diet?
Yes.They would provide some of the vitamins the diet omitted or restricted.