A claim you hear on longevity podcasts
The claim checked: Taking a multivitamin regularly isn't linked to a lower risk of death Hear it at 3:20
All ten studies, including the study described on tape, found no lower risk of death in people who took multivitamins. A review of 9 trials found the same.
Computed from 10 studies that test this point, each judged by two readers, in full. 3 more studies are waiting for a full read and do not count yet.
“The NIH researchers analyzed nearly 400,000 healthy US adults and they followed them for more than twenty years and they found that regular multivitamin use wasn't associated with a lower risk of death.”
On tape: NIH researchers, nearly 400,000 healthy US adults, more than twenty years of follow-up. This study matches every detail. Multivitamin Use and Mortality Risk in 3 Prospective US Cohorts. JAMA Netw Open, 2024. Pooled analysis of 3 prospective US cohorts (NIH-AARP, PLCO, Agricultural Health Study), 390,124 US adults with no cancer or other chronic disease at the start, median age 61.5.
What it found
“MV use was not associated with lower all-cause mortality risk in the first (multivariable-adjusted HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07) or second (multivariable-adjusted HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.99-1.08) halves of follow-up.”
How the authors extend it
“In this cohort study of US adults, MV use was not associated with a mortality benefit.”
Not stated in the text we read. Two readers agreed on the label, and the paper was read in full.
other primary study · 2019 · landmark
“However, most of the associations became statistically insignificant after additional adjustments of education and lifestyle factors.”
Association Among Dietary Supplement Use, Nutrient Intake, and Mortality Among U.S. Adults: A Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med
Who: Nationally representative US adults aged 20 and older in NHANES 1999-2010 who answered questions on dietary supplement use, linked to the National Death Index
PMID 30959527
pooled analysis · 2018 · landmark
“Discussion In general, the data on the popular supplements (multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin C) show no consistent benefit for the prevention of CVD, MI, or stroke, nor was there a benefit for all-cause mortality to support their continued use.”
Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for CVD Prevention and Treatment. J Am Coll Cardiol
Who: Participants in randomized controlled trials of vitamin and mineral supplements reporting CVD outcomes or all-cause mortality (2012-October 2017 plus USPSTF-reviewed trials)
PMID 29852980
systematic review · 2022 · landmark
“In pooled analyses, the association with all-cause mortality was not statistically significant (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.87–1.01; 9 RCTs [n=51,550]; I2=0%).”
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: Updated Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA
Who: Generally healthy adults without known vitamin or mineral deficiencies, in randomized trials and cohort studies (systematic review for the USPSTF)
PMID 35727272
trial or observed group · 2011
“In agreement with our hypothesis, most of the supplements studied were not associated with reduced total mortality rate in older women.”
Dietary supplements and mortality rate in older women: the Iowa Women's Health Study. Arch Intern Med
Who: Older, mostly white, postmenopausal Iowa women aged 55-69 at baseline in 1986 (mean age 61.6), not restricted to healthy women at baseline
PMID 21987192
trial or observed group · 2009
“Conclusion After a median follow-up of 8.0 and 7.9 years in the CT and OS, respectively, the WHI cohorts provide convincing evidence that multivitamin use has little or no influence on the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease or total mortality in postmenopausal women.”
Multivitamin use and risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease in the Women's Health Initiative cohorts. Arch Intern Med
Who: Postmenopausal US women aged 50-79 in the Women's Health Initiative Clinical Trials and Observational Study
PMID 19204221
pooled analysis · 2021
“Specifically, in this respect, what has remained true over the last 2 years is that regular consumption of the popular vitamins and minerals supplements, multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin C, appear to have no overall benefit for CVD or all-cause mortality.”
Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment: JACC Focus Seminar. J Am Coll Cardiol
Who: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of vitamin and mineral supplements in adults (populations not restricted to healthy adults)
PMID 33509399
other primary study · 2011
“In this large multiethnic cohort, we found no associations between multivitamin use and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular diseases, or cancer.”
Multivitamin use and the risk of mortality and cancer incidence: the multiethnic cohort study. Am J Epidemiol
Who: Adults aged 45-75 in Hawaii and California (African American, Native Hawaiian, Japanese American, Latino and White), Multiethnic Cohort Study
PMID 21343248
other primary study · 2009
“After multivariate adjustment, multivitamin use was not associated with risk of total mortality, whether evaluated by duration, frequency during period of use, or 10-year average frequency of use.”
Use of supplements of multivitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin E in relation to mortality. Am J Epidemiol
Who: Western Washington State residents aged 50-76 who completed a mailed questionnaire in 2000-2002 (VITAL cohort, designed to recruit supplement users)
PMID 19596711
other primary study · 2008
“In this large population-based prospective cohort of middle-aged and elderly Swedish men, we found no association between use of any dietary supplement or of multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E or fish oil specifically and all-cause mortality, cancer or CVD mortality in all men.”
Dietary supplement use and mortality in a cohort of Swedish men. Br J Nutr
Who: Men aged 45-79 from central Sweden (Cohort of Swedish Men) free of cancer and CVD at baseline in 1997
PMID 17764599
other primary study · 2024 · cited on tape
“Discussion In this cohort study of 390 124 generally healthy US adults with more than 20 years of follow-up, daily MV use was not associated with a mortality benefit.”
Multivitamin Use and Mortality Risk in 3 Prospective US Cohorts. JAMA Netw Open
Who: Generally healthy US adults without cancer, diabetes, MI, stroke or kidney failure at baseline, from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, PLCO Cancer Screening Trial and Agricultural Health Study cohorts
PMID 38922615
None.
None.
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