Everyone can rave about multivitamins. They have been the talk of the town, with people popping the colourful tablets to boost their physical strength. Multivitamins are put on a pedestal, considered magical, tiny pills that have the ability to correct nutritional deficiencies. Claiming to benefit health and reduce the chances of chronic disease, new research, however, has destroyed the temple of frenzied fascination for multivitamins. In one of the longest research studies, the National Cancer Institute refuted these ‘alleged’ benefits of multivitamins. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, lacked proper evidence to support popular beliefs about multivitamins. The study involved over 390,000 healthy Americans, tracking their multivitamin use and comparing the effects on users and non-users.
the biggest irony
Multivitamins are taken to improve health and reduce the risk of life-threatening diseases. Interestingly, the researchers found that those who took multivitamins frequently had a slightly higher mortality rate. Although the difference was small, multivitamins barely improved quality of life. The participants, who belonged to different age groups, genders and lifestyles, did not feel any significant benefit from multivitamins, which contradicts the claims made in the loud advertisements.
Clever Marketing
This is particularly shocking for Americans, even though multivitamins are strongly branded as health enhancers. Commercials promoted them as a blueprint for healthy living and even labeled them as an ‘insurance policy’ for good health. By leveraging fear-based marketing that catered to insecurities about declining health, and with the bandwagon effect of widespread acceptance, marketers were able to connect with consumers on a subconscious level. No wonder sales skyrocketed. However, nutritionists were always skeptical about these magic pills and questioned how these synthetic pills could approximate the natural nutrients of whole foods.
Also Read: Top 10 Vitamin B12 Rich Foods To Include In Your Diet To Help Manage Stress
Don’t generalize
Other supplements need not be offended by the bad image of multivitamins. Certain groups, such as pregnant women and the elderly with restricted diets, may benefit from specific types of multivitamins, although under the supervision of a doctor. However, studies have found that for healthy adults, taking the pill regularly has no positive effects and does not increase lifespan.
A good lifestyle is irreplaceable
There is no shortcut to hard work. To have good health, one needs to be mindful of their lifestyle by eating healthy food, exercising and not smoking. A healthy routine is more likely to increase lifespan.
