Vitamins may aid healthy aging process

As people age, their ability to perform daily tasks can become harder due to declining physical and mental abilities. A new study suggests that taking a daily multivitamin may help maintain functional health in older adults.

Study Findings

Initial results presented at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting indicate that older adults who took a daily multivitamin had better measures of functional health after three years compared to those who took a placebo. 16,000 individuals ages 60 and older participated in the study.

According to Yanbin Dong, MD, PhD, a daily multivitamin may be a simple, low-risk strategy to help older adults maintain cardiovascular-related functional health and quality of life.

Vitamin Takers Had Better Physical Ability

Dong and his collaborators reviewed data from the study participants, who were randomly assigned to take a daily multivitamin, a cocoa extract supplement, both, or neither. The participants completed an annual questionnaire assessing their ability to complete everyday activities and possible heart failure symptoms.

After three years, scientists found that multivitamins improved symptom burden by an average of 0.45 points and a person’s clinical summary score by 0.30 points.

A notable benefit was seen in participants with carotid stenosis, who experienced an improvement in symptom burden by an average of 6.75 points and their clinical summary score by 6.01 points.

How Multivitamins May Help

Dong notes that multivitamins may help the body by correcting common micronutrient insufficiencies and supporting energy production, cell function, vascular health, inflammation control, and muscle performance.

Although details of the complete study are limited, the authors also pointed out that cocoa extract did not significantly change functional health scores in the overall population, but provided a significant benefit in patients who developed congestive heart failure.

Mixed Results in Previous Studies

Previous findings have suggested that the benefits of multivitamins have been conflicting, according to Sarah L. Booth, PhD, the director of the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

Some prior analysis found that daily use of multivitamins or cocoa extract was not associated with any benefit in overall cardiovascular disease or cancer prevention.

Booth adds that a more conclusive interpretation of these latest findings will not be possible until the full paper becomes available, and that findings related to multivitamins can be difficult to decipher due to varying participant diets.

The scientists mention that the study’s strengths include the large participant population and high adherence to taking multivitamins over several years, but also note that most patients were “very healthy,” and effects on those more at risk of heart problems are based on more minimal evidence.

Good nutrition for any person begins with healthy foods, but for some people, a multivitamin may be a helpful addition, according to Booth. However, decisions to take multivitamins should be made in consultation with a health provider, as they can help determine the best course of action for individual nutrition needs.