Do I need to take vitamin supplements every day

Patients often ask me if they really need to take vitamin
supplements every day, or if they can skip them if they just eat
healthy.

My answer is that scientists have proven taking multivitamins will
help you live longer. Their research even shows that you might
live 5% longer compared to people who don’t take a daily
multivitamin. That may not seem like much, but for the average US
life expectancy, it’s 4 more years.

Here’s some recent research done on this topic:

A study led by Dr. Honglei Chen of the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences evaluated multivitamin use and
nutrient intake in 586 women between the ages of 35 and 74 in what
was called the Sister Study. The researchers then studied the
length of their DNA telomeres, a marker for aging. They found that
the telomeres of daily multivitamin takers were 5.1% longer than
non-takers.

the antioxidants contained in
multivitamins are in part responsible for this life extending
benefit

The researchers believe that the antioxidants contained in
multivitamins are in part responsible for this life extending
benefit. Antioxidants, specifically vitamins C and D, benefit
telomere length by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation —
factors in the onset of most life-threatening diseases.

This research supports another recent study conducted by the
National Cancer Institute and the Chinese Academy of Medical
Sciences in Beijing.2

In this large-scale study known as the General Population Nutrition
Intervention Trial, 29,584 residents of Linxian, China were given
eight combinations of nine vitamin and mineral combinations from
1985 to 1991. The goal of the study was to evaluate the risk of
cancer of the esophagus and upper stomach. Residents of Linxian
have some of the highest rates of these types of cancer in the
world.

The trial found that “factor D,” a combination of 50 micrograms of
selenium, 30 milligrams of vitamin E and 15 milligrams
beta-carotene was associated with a reduction in all-cause
mortality, as well as total cancer and gastric cancer mortality.
As in the first study mentioned above, antioxidant vitamins and
minerals were the key to reduced risk of chronic disease and early
death.

From the beginning of the trial through May, 2001, 9,727 deaths
occurred in study participants including 1,515 from esophageal
cancer and 1,199 from gastric cancer. Individuals who received
factor D however, had a 5% percent lower risk of dying from all
causes than those who did not receive this combination. The effect
of factor D was most strongly observed in participants younger than
55 years.
This research is also important because it showed reduced risk of
cancer for up to 10 years after the end of the trial in individuals
who took the vitamin/mineral antioxidant combination

(multivitamin supplements). reduced risk of
cancer for up to 10 years after the end of the trial

These two studies provide strong evidence that taking a daily
multivitamin can help you live a longer and healthier life. If you
are not currently taking a multi, it’s not too late to start. In
our office you can pick up a high quality multivitamin. Just don’t
buy the cheap stuff. Pay a few more dollars per bottle because the
return on your investment is worth it.

Have a great day and I’ll talk to you soon!

Dr. Justin Trosclair

References

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Publications/Food-Beverage-Nutrition/NutraIngredients.com/Research/
Multivitamins-linked-to-younger-biological-age-Study/?c=%2FESa3FpTFLdwmZYfRLQ2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=
newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BDaily
http://www.lef.org/whatshot/2009_04.htm#protective-effective-nutritional-supplements-evident-decade.