Taking a daily multivitamin is largely an act of faith. We've seen studies that show how multivitamins may enhance the immune system and deliver nutrients that the body needs for good health. But when we take our multis, we don't necessarily feel different. And we can't say for sure that we've avoided any specific disease.
But now we have some new evidence that takes multivitamin use further beyond just faith. And - rare as a blue moon - it comes from not one, but two mainstream studies confirming the health benefits of multivitamin use.
Because previous studies have indicated that colorectal cancer risk may decrease after long periods of multivitamin use, American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers designed a trial to investigate this relationship.
In 1992, ACS researchers enrolled more than 145,000 men and women to participate in a five-year multivitamin study. All of these subjects had also participated in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort (begun a decade earlier) in which their multivitamin usage was recorded.
As reported in the current issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology, 797 cases of colorectal cancer were reported among the study group between 1992 and 1997. After adjusting for risk factors, researchers found that multivitamin use that began just prior to the 1992 enrollment was not associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. But the participants who had reported regular multivitamin use (4 or more times per week) in the early 80s, fared much better: their group had a 30 percent reduced risk of the cancer.
The researchers say that further studies are necessary to establish clear evidence that multivitamin use is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Also unknown is just how the nutrients in multivitamins combine to offer protection. Hopefully new research is already underway.
Meanwhile, another recent study also found a strong association between general good health and multivitamin use.
The study was conducted by the Lewin Group (a healthcare consulting firm), and funded by a subsidiary of the Wyeth pharmaceutical company; Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, which manufactures about 10 percent of the vitamin supplements made in the U.S. Researchers analyzed more than 125 clinical studies and additional scientific literature to determine the health benefits of multivitamins, and the subsequent savings in healthcare bills for people 65 and older.
The Lewin report was presented earlier this month at a Washington, D.C. meeting titled "Multivitamins and Public Health: Exploring the Evidence." Researchers said that based on demonstrated multivitamin protection from the risk of coronary artery disease, as well as benefits to the immune system, they projected a five-year Medicare savings of more than $1.6 billion if all U.S. citizens over the age of 65 took a daily multi.
But the actual savings could be much higher. In their calculations, researchers didn't include expenditures associated with diabetes, osteoporosis, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer, because, based on their sources, they couldn't conclude that multivitamins have a direct preventive effect on those health problems. (Unfortunately their research didn't have access to the ACS colorectal cancer study, which was released the same week.)
The Lewin study results were put into perspective by the director of Healthcare Finance for the Lewin Group, Allen Dobson, Ph.D., who told meeting attendees that in his experience, "finding any cost savings for preventive measures is unusual and finding cost savings of this magnitude is very rare."
Taking a good multivitamin is a no-brainer. It's inexpensive, it can't do any harm, and as we've seen above, the evidence is mounting that long-term multivitamin use may provide a host of positive health benefits.
This isn't news to HSI members, of course. But for those of you who may have missed some of the many vitamin tips from HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., I've collected a few of the most important ones to help you choose the most effective multi.
- Avoid a multivitamin that's a hard pill. Dr. Spreen says, "There are a few (read that a FEW) pill forms that break down quickly, but they are rare. I always use capsule, powder or liquid forms whenever possible, as they at least guarantee that the individual gets what he swallows."
- Avoid time-release vitamins. Dr. Spreen: "I don't use time- release forms, as you're then using a preparation deliberately designed not to give its contents to you. I prefer to have the individual be his own 'time-releaser' by multiple dosing throughout the day."
- Vitamins are absorbed more efficiently when taken with meals. Dr. Spreen: "They are better digested that way (they're food supplements)."
- Avoid getting too much iron. Dr. Spreen: "Concerning multi- vitamin/mineral preparations there can be one problem, and that's iron. It's too high, in my opinion, for most everyone as it is a known generator of free radicals in biological systems (if it's inorganic iron as most are in supplements)."
If you're currently looking for a good multivitamin, the team at NorthStar offer an excellent mix of vitamins and nutrients in their Daily Defense Plus supplement. Use this link to find out more:
http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/650SDDP/W650DA39/home.cfm
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
Sources:
"Multivitamin Use and Colorectal Cancer Incidence in a US Cohort: Does Timing Matter?" American Journal of Epidemiology 2003; 158:621-628, aje.oupjournals.org
"Timing Key to Multivitamin Benefits" NutraIngredients.com, 10/8/03, nutraingredients.com
"A Study of the Cost Effects of Daily Multivitamins for Older Adults" The Lewin Group, 10/2/03, lewin.com
"Analysis: Multivitamins Good but Who Pays?" Ellen Beck, United Press International, 10/2/03, washingtontimes.com
"New Study Finds Increased Multivitamin Use by the Elderly Could Save Medicare $1.6 Billion" PR Newswire, 10/2/03, prnewswire.com
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