However, scientists urge not to overestimate the results. For most study participants, the benefits were small, and detailed data have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, reports “Everyday Health”.
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Preliminary results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Nutrition Society. “Daily multivitamins may be a simple and low-risk way to help older adults maintain cardiovascular-related physical capacity and quality of life,” said the study author, cardiologist Yanbin Dong.
More than 16 thousand participants
Scientists analyzed data from more than 16,000 people aged 60 and older. At the start of the study, participants did not have severe cardiovascular diseases.
People were randomly divided into groups: some took multivitamins daily, others took cocoa extract, a third group took both supplements, and the rest received a placebo.
For three years, participants annually assessed how well they could perform daily tasks. They also reported whether they felt fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, or abdomen – symptoms that could be related to heart failure.
After three years, the symptom-related score of people taking multivitamins improved by an average of 0.45 points, and the overall physical capacity and well-being score improved by 0.30 points. This means the overall effect was small.
Some experienced more noticeable benefits
Larger changes were observed among people diagnosed with carotid artery stenosis – narrowing of the main neck blood vessels that carry blood to the brain.
For these participants, the symptom-related score improved by an average of 6.75 points, and the overall clinical score by 6.01 points.
According to Y. Dong, this may indicate a small but more noticeable benefit of multivitamins for people with carotid artery narrowing. However, this conclusion is based on data from a smaller group of participants.
The study authors suggest that multivitamins may help replenish micronutrient stores. Vitamins and minerals are important for energy production, cell function, muscle work, and blood vessel health.
However, for a person who eats a balanced diet and gets enough necessary nutrients from food, additional vitamins may not provide noticeable benefits.
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Previous studies gave mixed answers
Sarah L. Booth, director of the Human Nutrition and Aging Research Center at Tufts University, emphasized that results of multivitamin studies have been contradictory so far.
A previous analysis of the same participant group did not show that daily multivitamins or cocoa extract reduced the overall risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer.
Other studies revealed a small but statistically significant benefit of multivitamins for cognitive functions.
According to S. L. Booth, when evaluating the effects of supplements, it is important to consider people’s diet. If a participant already eats healthily, additional nutrients may make little difference.
Cocoa extract did not significantly improve physical capacity in the overall study participant group. Some benefit was observed only among people who developed congestive heart failure during the study.
Final conclusions are not yet available
The advantage of the study is the large number of participants and the fact that they took supplements for several years. However, most participants were quite healthy, so there is not enough data yet on the benefits of multivitamins for people with a higher risk of heart disease.
Vitamins and minerals should primarily be obtained from a varied and balanced diet.
Moreover, only preliminary results have been presented. More detailed conclusions will be possible after the full scientific article is published.
Experts remind that vitamins and minerals should primarily be obtained from a varied and balanced diet. However, for people who cannot get all the necessary nutrients due to health issues, reduced appetite, or limited diet, multivitamins may help fill nutritional gaps.
It is recommended to consult a doctor or other healthcare professional before starting to take them.
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