Multivitamin Use Does Not Reduce Cardiovascular Risk in Men

Taking a daily multivitamin does not reduce the risk for major cardiovascular events in men, according to a JAMA study.

As part of the Physicians' Health Study II, nearly 15,000 men aged 50 and older were randomized to a daily multivitamin or placebo. After a median follow-up of 11 years, the rate of the primary composite outcome — myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular mortality — did not differ between the two groups. There were slightly fewer MI deaths among multivitamin users, but the authors speculate that this may have been due to chance. The effect did not differ between men with and without baseline cardiovascular disease.

An editorialist writes that multiple trials "clearly confirm that CVD cannot be prevented or treated with vitamins." She concludes: "The message needs to remain simple and focused: CVD is largely preventable, and this can be achieved by eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco products, and, for those with high risk factor levels or previous CVD events, taking proven, safe, and effective medications."