While the tablets’ long-term effects on health and wellbeing are not entirely fully known, many people take the pills to supplement their diet. But a new study suggests that taking these pills has no real effect on the risk of cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular events refer to a number of serious health problems including heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular disease.
The study, which has been published in JAMA, examined 15,000 male physicians, middle-aged or older who took daily multivitamin supplements. The subjects were studied over a ten year period looking at whether they suffered large cardiovascular events. They were split into groups with some taking the supplements and others taking a placebo.
During the course of the study 1,732 men had major cardiovascular events, including 652 heart attacks, 643 cases of stroke and 829 deaths from cardiovascular disease. The researchers concluded that there was no statistically significant reduction in risk for those who took the multivitamin tablet against those who took a placebo.
Interestingly the study also suggests that patients who think they are gaining health benefits from the supplements may be less likely to take other preventative steps against health problems. Although multivitamin supplements can be very useful in getting rid of deficiencies in certain nutrients, there seems to be a perception that they also provide natural defences against diseases and other issues.