A recent study published in JAMA Network Open determined the relationship between regular multivitamin (MV) supplementation and mortality risk among United States adults. One in three individuals residing in the United States consumes multivitamins to preserve or enhance health status and prevent disease; hence, knowing the association between MV supplementation and mortality risk is vital for public health guidelines. The 2022 United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) examined data on multivitamin use and death risk from randomized controlled trials and concluded that owing to short follow-up duration and external validation, there is inadequate evidence to determine risk-benefit ratios.
Observational studies provide contradictory results, and differences in multivitamin content or confounding factors may explain their varied outcomes. Multivitamin users may be more health-conscious, leading to healthier diets, increased physical activity, and reduced smoking. However, individuals aged >65 years with comorbidities are more likely to use multivitamins, as they have a higher death risk.
In the present study, researchers investigated whether regular multivitamin usage can lower death risk in the adult US population. The study included adults with no previous histories of chronic medical conditions and cancer who enrolled in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening (PLCO, 42,732 individuals) trial; the Agricultural Health Study (AHS, 19,660 indivi.