Nearly 20 years ago, my colleagues and I conducted research that showed reducing drugs from 13 to eight a day also decreased hospitalizations and deaths. The most common "drug" we reduced was vitamins because we thought patients would always remember to take their vitamins but were more likely to forget prescribed medications.
It now seems we were ahead of our time in suggesting patients chuck their vitamins. New research shows that taking unnecessary vitamins can be dangerous.
Multiple studies have shown no benefit of taking multivitamin supplements. A recent study followed women from Iowa who were between 55 to 69 for 22 years. The rates of death for women taking vitamins went up: 2.4 percent for women taking multivitamins; 4.1 percent for those taking vitamin B6 (pyridoxine); and 5.9 percent for those who took folate. Deaths also increased among those who took iron, zinc, magnesium and copper supplements. A study in men found no beneficial use of multivitamins.
Another study of vitamins in men examined whether or not vitamin E (selenium) would prevent prostate cancer. Men who took vitamin E had a 1.6 percent increase in their risk for prostate cancer when compared to men who didn't take vitamin E. Previous controlled studies have suggested that beta-carotine may increase lung cancer risk.
The failure of vitamins to improve health outcomes is in sharp contrast with numerous studies showing a diet high in fruit and vegetables prolongs life and enhances its quality. Even patients at genetic risk for cardiovascular disease had this risk removed when they ate raw fruit and vegetables.
These studies suggest we waste a large amount of money on vitamins and other supplements which, at best do no good, and at the worst do harm.
A word of caution, though, is that for persons who are truly vitamin deficient, vitamins can be strong therapy that is potentially lifesaving. For instance, evidence suggests those who suffer from age-related macular degeneration, which is a major cause of blindness, and take high doses of specific vitamin supplements may slow the progression of disease.
So please talk to your physician before starting vitamin supplements.
SLUCare physician John Morley is director of geriatrics at St. Louis University and a geriatrician at St. Louis University Hospital and Des Peres Hospital. Email him atmorley@slu.edu. The Aging Successfully column for seniors rotates each week with XX Files, a women's health column.
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