Study Shows Multivitamins Don’t Interfere With Longevity; Understanding When They’re Necessary
After 20 years of monitoring nearly 400,000 people who took multivitamins daily, researchers at the National Cancer Institute in the United States concluded that use of these supplements has no association with reduced mortality or increased longevity. You The results were published in June in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open.
In general, multivitamins are dietary supplements that contain more than one type of vitamin in their capsules. Also called multivitamins, they include both products that offer multiple vitamins of the same complex – for example, those of the B complex – and those that combine vitamins from A to Zinc, that is, they also include some minerals. The American study does not specify which types of multivitamins it refers to.
In Brazil, the consumption of this type of product is growing year after year. According to the survey “Food supplement consumption habits in Brazil”Published by the Brazilian Association of Food Industry for Special and Similar Purposes (Abiad), the consumption of vitamin supplements increased by 48% between 2015 and 2020.
Also according to the study, food supplements and vitamins They stopped being consumed mostly by men and women between the ages of 25 and 50 and started having the largest audience in the age group between 41 and 60. This group mainly consumes multivitamins and vitamin C.
Performed after the start of the covid-19 pandemicThe Abiad survey also highlighted the reason for the growth: according to participants, the consumption of vitamin supplements is linked to health concerns, which have become more acute after the health crisis.
However, as the results of a study published in JAMA Network Open demonstrate, the use of these products does not necessarily bring health benefits.
“In a population not exposed to nutritional deficiencies, the use of multivitamins will not change much,” says Fábio Moura, an endocrinologist at the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology (SBEM). According to the doctor, the new study simply confirms what has already been demonstrated on other occasions, in other studies.
For nutritionist Vanderli Marchiori, of the Brazilian Society of Food and Nutrition (SBAN), the research does not reflect the true objective of this type of dietary supplement. “No one uses a multivitamin to avoid dying or to die later. We use it to correct or supplement a deficient diet.”
She argues that there are too many variables involved in a person’s mortality risk to attribute this responsibility solely to supplementation.
Who should take it?
According to Marchiori, vitamin supplementation makes sense when symptoms of deficiency appear nutritionalwhich can include tiredness, weakness, dizziness, weight loss, changes in skin color, changes in bowel function, and even cognitive problems.
He explains that the condition can be confirmed by tests, but since not all Brazilians have easy access to laboratory tests, it is not necessary to wait for confirmation if the patient already shows signs of deficiency and the health professional performs a careful analysis of the condition. medical history.
In general, the main reason why a person has a vitamin deficiency is an inadequate diet, which can occur either due to a lack of nutritional education or due to the difficulty of accessing nutritious foods. In addition, it can occur for the following reasons:
- Aging;
- Dietary restrictions, such as allergies, intolerancesvegetarianism and veganism;
- After surgical procedures;
- Problems absorbing nutrients through the gastrointestinal tract;
- Increased demands on the body, both during pregnancy and in an athlete’s routine.
In some cases, the use of multivitamins or a single vitamin is temporary. “We use it as a transition strategy so that the patient has a food consumption more appropriate,” explains the nutritionist. In others, the use of supplements can be permanent.
Marchiori recalls that a study by the University of California has shown that, in South America, less than 50% of people consume the right amount of vitamins and minerals to meet the body’s daily needs. Therefore, it reinforces the importance of public policies that guarantee Food necessary for the population to have a balanced intake of nutrients.
Among those who are guaranteed access to a variety of foods, the nutritionist says the path is re-education. “Once I have food accessible to the entire population, I will evaluate what they choose and teach them how to choose better,” he says. Moura agrees: “Food first.”
In this context, multivitamins and other dietary supplements are the last option, always under professional supervision. “People should use supplements only with the advice of a nutritionist, pharmacist or doctor,” says Marchiori.
Are there any risks?
In the American study, researchers observed that people who took multivitamins had a 4% higher risk of death at the beginning of the study compared to those who did not use these supplements. According to Moura, an endocrinologist at SBEM, this does not mean that multivitamins increase mortality.
“It’s a study for which we don’t have all the variables. Maybe it’s this person who looked for it (the supplements) If you were already sick, maybe you were already feeling worse, you were taking some medicine because you had an illness. An observational study takes away a lot of the strength of these conclusions,” he says.
According to experts, the associated risks are low. In general, people with kidney problems should be more careful, because the habit of consuming these products can overload the kidneys, which filter the excess from the body.
In addition, the use of fat-soluble vitamin supplements, such as A, E, D, and K, also presents risks, albeit low. These substances are not easily eliminated through urine and, therefore, have cumulative toxicity, meaning they can deposit in the body and cause problems such as intoxication.
“That’s why they need a more careful analysis of the amount and frequency. If I take 40,000 units of vitamin D and I don’t eat a calcium diet, I have a much higher risk of kidney calcification and much worse health problems over time.
In the case of water-soluble vitamins, excess elimination is simpler and occurs through urine. “The biggest risk you run is an expensive pee,” jokes Fabio Moura, of SBEM, referring to the fact that a person spends needlessly on vitamin supplements, just to eliminate everything when he goes to the bathroom.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
