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Efficacy of Multivitamin/mineral Supplementation to Reduce Chronic Disease Risk: A Critical Review of the Evidence from Observational Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials

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  • We reviewed recent scientific evidence regarding the effects of MVM [multivitamin/mineral] supplements on risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and age-related eye diseases. Data from both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational, prospective cohort studies were examined. The majority of scientific studies investigating the use of MVM supplements in chronic disease risk reduction reported no significant effect. However, the largest and longest RCT of MVM supplements conducted to date, the Physicians’ Health Study II (PHS II), found a modest and significant reduction in total and epithelial cancer incidence in male physicians, consistent with the Supplémentation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants (SU.VI.MAX) trial. In addition, PHS II found a modest and significant reduction in the incidence of nuclear cataract, in agreement with several other RCTs and observational, prospective cohort studies. The effects of MVM use on other subtypes of cataract and age-related macular degeneration remain unclear. Neither RCTs nor prospective cohort studies are without their limitations. The placebo-controlled trial design of RCTs may be inadequate for nutrient interventions, and residual confounding, measurement error, and the possibility of reverse causality are inherent to any observational study. National surveys show that micronutrient inadequacies are wide-spread in the U.S. and that dietary supplements, of which MVMs are the most common type, effectively fill most of these micronutrient gaps in both adults and children.
  • Keywords: Prospective cohort studies, Chronic disease risk, Randomized controlled trials, Supplement, Micronutrient inadequacies, Multivitamin/mineral
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  • Angelo, G., Drake, V. J., & Frei, B. (2015). Efficacy of Multivitamin/mineral Supplementation to Reduce Chronic Disease Risk: A Critical Review of the Evidence from Observational Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 55(14), 1968-1991. doi:10.1080/10408398.2014.912199
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  • 55
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  • 14
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  • Pfizer Consumer Healthcare has sponsored the writing of the manuscript and provided payment to a medical communications agency, Peloton Advantage, LLC, for editorial assistance. Reprints will not be available from the author. GA and VJD received an honorarium from Pfizer in connection with the development of this manuscript.Editorial support was provided by Diane Sloan, PharmD, of Peloton Advantage, LLC and was funded by Pfizer.
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