Some experts say it's time to give up on daily multivitamins to
preserve health, but others disagree. What should you do?
If you take a multivitamin, it's probably because you want to do
everything you can to protect your health. But there is still limited evidence
that a daily cocktail of essential vitamins and minerals actually delivers what
you expect. The latest round of studies, published in December in Annals
of Internal Medicine, found no benefit from multivitamins in protecting the
brain or heart. But some Harvard experts think there is still hope.
"There are potential benefits and there are no known risks
at this time," says Dr. Howard Sesso, an associate professor of
epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. "It is worth
considering a multivitamin as part of a healthy lifestyle."
In contrast, an editorial published alongside the multivitamin
studies urged consumers to "stop wasting money on vitamin and mineral
supplements."
Caught between expert opinions, what do you do? Start with
asking yourself why you would consider taking a multivitamin. If you suspect
your diet is nutritionally lax, focus your efforts there.
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