Should You Be Taking A Multivitamin For Your Health?

Nearly one in three US adults use multivitamins, according to reports from a study in JAMA Network. However, a recent meta-analysis that analyzed nearly 400,000 medical records from healthy Americans over 20 years found that daily multivitamin use did not prevent death from cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The study only looked at the risk of death as the primary outcome.

So does this mean that multivitamins are not beneficial to health?

The obvious question remains- who, if anyone, should take a multivitamin?

For the vast majority of adults, a healthy nutritious diet that includes fruits, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and grains usually provide all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body to function properly. Nutrients are best absorbed when consumed through foods and have the greatest effect on the body’s ability to function properly. Despite this, not all individuals can or are able to consume a healthy balanced diet. There are specific groups of people that would benefit from regularly taking multivitamins.

Those With Nutritional Deficiencies

Inadequate levels of vitamins in the body can lead to certain diseases. As an example, low levels of vitamin D in children can lead to a condition called rickets, which results in weak bones, poor growth, and bone deformities. In addition, scurvy, or vitamin C deficiency, can occur as it used to with sailors who did not get enough fruits and vegetables in their diet. Patients with scurvy typically have weakness, gum disease, and poor wound healing. Although both rickets and scurvy are rare in the US currently, any vitamin deficiency that exists in the body needs to be treated to prevent disease.

The Elderly

As we age, our nutritional needs also change. As an example, nutrients and vitamins like calcium and vitamin D are critical to ensure adequate bone health and to help prevent osteoporosis, a condition characterized by decreased bone mass that can predispose people to fracture their bones more easily. For postmenopausal women, bone mineral density naturally decreases with lower levels of estrogen that come after menopause, increasing the risk of older women eventually getting osteoporosis. Estrogen is a key hormone that helps promote more bone formation. Taking multivitamins for postmenopausal females can decrease the risk of osteoporosis but may increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Elderly patients should speak to their doctors to find out what treatment is best for them.

Individuals With Medical Conditions

Many medical conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease can affect nutrient absorption. Many patients with these conditions lack the ability to absorb nutrients which ultimately results in vitamin deficiencies in their bodies. In addition, patients that have gastric bypass procedures also are predisposed to vitamin deficiencies and would benefit from taking multivitamins. In this surgery, the intestines are rerouted to bypass some parts of the bowel. These parts of the intestine that are bypassed are precisely where iron and calcium are absorbed, thus leading to deficiencies in those nutrients that would need to be treated.

People With Dietary Restrictions

Some individuals with dietary restrictions, such as those who religiously follow a vegetarian diet, may not take in essential nutrients that are found more commonly in animal products. Vitamins and minerals that are commonly absent in many vegetarian diets include vitamin B12, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin D, according to Nordic Naturals. Individuals with restricted diets can take multivitamins to ensure they are getting all the important vitamins their bodies need.

Pregnant Women

Pregnancy increases the demand for many nutrients, including but not limited to folate, iron, and calcium. Taking folic acid in the first trimester of pregnancy is critical in preventing neural tube defects in the fetus. In addition, anemia (a condition where the body does not produce enough red blood cells) is a relatively common condition in pregnancy, and iron supplementation can help increase blood volume to prevent it. Prenatal multivitamins are specifically recommended by doctors to support the mother and baby’s health in efforts to prevent conditions like anemia in the mother and neural tube defects in the child.

Although a multivitamin is certainly not necessary for everyone, certain groups of people should really consider taking one. Taking too many multivitamins can also be problematic as it is possible to overdose on vitamins. As an example, although very rare, too much vitamin C can lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea, and kidney stones. Before taking any dietary supplements, it’s important to have a conversation with your doctor so they can provide personalized recommendations based on your individual needs.