A new analysis of 18 studies that were published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes- a journal of the American Heart Association claims that taking multivitamins and other mineral supplements does not help in preventing various cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular death.
Joonseok Kim, assistant professor of cardiology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and also the lead author of the study said, “We meticulously evaluated the body of scientific evidence. We found no clinical benefit of multivitamin and mineral use to prevent heart attacks, strokes or cardiovascular death.”
For the study, the research team conducted a “meta-analysis”- which involved putting together the results of 18 previously published studies- including several randomized controlled trials and potential cohort studies. The study involved more than 2 million participants who had an average follow-up period of 12 years. Scientists found out that there was no correlation between consuming multivitamin and mineral supplements and low risk of demise from cardiovascular disorders.
“It has been exceptionally difficult to convince people, including nutritional researchers, to acknowledge that multivitamin and mineral supplements don’t prevent cardiovascular diseases,” explained Kim. “I hope our study findings help decrease the hype around multivitamin and mineral supplements and encourage people to use proven methods to reduce their risk of cardiovascular diseases – such as eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising and avoiding tobacco.”
In the US, there is no definite law that allows the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “approve” dietary supplements for effective use before they are in the market for public consumption. About 30 percent Americans take multivitamins and mineral supplements. By 2024 the global nutritional supplement industry will reach a handsome $278 billion.
The question whether or not multivitamins prevent cardiovascular diseases has been under fire for many years- although a lot of well- researched studies have already reported that multivitamins aren’t a great help- which is why the team chose to combine the results of previously published studies on the topic.
“Although multivitamin and mineral supplements taken in moderation rarely cause direct harm, we urge people to protect their heart health by understanding their individual risk for heart disease and stroke and working with a healthcare provider to create a plan that uses proven measures to reduce risk”, added Kim. “These include a heart-healthy diet, exercise, tobacco cessation, controlling blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels, and when needed, medical treatment.”
The American Heart Association itself does not endorse the consumption of multivitamin or mineral supplements to prevent cardiovascular diseases.