Since its last recommendation in 2014, the working group has reviewed 84 studies testing vitamins in almost 700,000 people, including 52 new studies on the subject.
However, the conclusion remains the same as in 2014: If you are a healthy, non-pregnant adult, there is “insufficient evidence” of any benefits to prolong the life of vitamin E, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin C and selenium.
However, there is ample evidence to recommend the use of beta-carotene supplements, which the body converts to vitamin A, to prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer “due to the possible increased risk of mortality, cardiovascular mortality and lung cancer”. , the task said force.
Nor should people take vitamin E, “because it probably has no net benefit in reducing mortality, cardiovascular disease or cancer,” the working group said.
“Lifestyle counseling for chronic disease prevention in patients should continue to focus on evidence-based approaches, including balanced diets high in fruits and vegetables and physical activity,” said Dr. Jeffrey Linder, Head of General internal medicine at Feinberg School of the Northwestern University of Medicine in Chicago, in an accompanying editorial. Take, for example, the Mediterranean diet. A Mediterranean diet that focuses on plant-based diets, physical activity and social engagement can reduce the risk of high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer, numerous studies have found. Meals from the sunny Mediterranean region have also been linked to weight loss, healthier bones, healthier hearts and longer lives.
Another evidence-based intervention: the DASH diet, which means “dietary approaches to stop hypertension.” Diet successfully reduces high blood pressure, studies show. Both the Mediterranean and DASH diets avoid processed foods and focus on fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
“Instead of focusing money, time and attention on supplements, it would be better to focus on lower risk and higher benefit activities … following a healthy diet, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding smoking. Linder and his colleagues write.
Billions of dollars
Despite the consistent message from the scientific community, “more than half of older Americans are taking supplements,” spending approximately $ 50 billion in 2021, according to Linder and colleagues.
Why spend so much money on pills with so little evidence to support their benefits?
“According to population studies, people take vitamins either to stay healthy, to feel more energetic or to gain peace of mind. These refuting evidence beliefs are reinforced by smart marketing campaigns, “said behavioral scientist Dr. Peter Ubel in an accompanying editorial published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Then, after people see vitamins as “good and healthy”, another behavior called “dose insensitivity” is needed: If a little is good, more should be better, said Ubel, who is a professor of business and public affairs. politics and medicine at Duke Fuqua University School of Business in Durham, North Carolina. Add to that human addiction to anything labeled “natural” or “botanical,” and the likelihood of buying vitamins and minerals sold that way increases, he said.
“Advertising agencies recognize this bias,” Ubel added. “People can now make up for the lack of fruits and vegetables in their diet by taking daily supplements.”
CNN contacted the Council on Responsible Nutrition, a trade organization for the supplement industry, and received the following response:
“Obvious limited evidence should not be misinterpreted as a lack of evidence,” said Andrea Wong, senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the council. “Numerous studies support the use of multivitamins by most Americans for a number of benefits.
Some populations need supplements
There are some populations that need certain vitamins. Pregnant women should take a daily supplement containing 0.4 to 0.8 milligrams (400 to 800 micrograms) of folic acid to prevent congenital neural tube defects, according to a separate recommendation from the working group.
People with limited access to healthy food choices or who have certain medical conditions or someone over the age of 65 may need to focus on adding specific micronutrients to their diet, experts say.
Some older people may need to supplement with vitamin B12 and B6, as the absorption of these vitamins from food fades with age. Because older people often get less sun than younger people, they may need extra vitamin D, but levels should be checked by a doctor, as too much D can be harmful. Many postmenopausal women take supplements to reduce fractures, but in 2018 the working group found that vitamin D in combination with calcium had no effect on the incidence of fractures in postmenopausal women.
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