Multivitamins “Should Be Avoided”, Studies Say

Two new clinical trials testing the health impact of dietary and other supplements found that most, including multivitamins, not only are useless at preventing chronic disease or death, some increase the risk of death among generally well-nourished populations. In an editorial accompanying the studies, clinicians and public health experts said the use of supplements is “not justified, and they should be avoided”. Vitamin industry representatives countered by saying a study reported last year on 15,000 men found that multivitamins reduced cancer risk. Worldwide vitamin industry sales in 2012 were $23.4 billion, up three percent from 2011. Forty percent of Americans say they took multivitamins or minerals between 2003 and 2006.