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Despite widespread belief in their health benefits, a new study suggests that daily multivitamin use may not contribute to longevity and could even increase the risk of death by 4% compared to nonusers.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute analyzed data from 390,000 healthy American adults over a two-decade period to investigate the impact of multivitamin consumption on mortality rates. They categorized participants into nonusers, occasional users, and daily users of multivitamins, tracking nearly 165,000 deaths during the follow-up period.

Their findings, published in JAMA Network Open, challenge the notion that multivitamins are effective in preventing major diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and cerebrovascular disorders.

"Refocusing nutrition interventions on food, rather than supplements, may provide the mortality benefits that multivitamins cannot deliver," the researchers emphasized in their report, highlighting the benefits of diets rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains observed in populations with extended lifespans.

The study adjusted for variables including race, ethnicity, education, and diet quality to ensure accuracy in its conclusions. Despite the popularity of multivitamins among one in three U.S. adults seeking disease prevention and health improvement, the research indicates that these supplements do not offer significant longevity benefits for healthy individuals.

"We did not find evidence to support improved longevity among healthy adults who regularly take multivitamins," the authors noted, as per the New York Post. "However, we cannot preclude the possibility that daily [multivitamin] use may be associated with other health outcomes related to aging."

The study's limitations included potential inaccuracies in self-reported multivitamin use and the exclusion of participants with prior chronic illnesses, which may have influenced the results. Researchers speculated that individuals who take multivitamins may generally lead healthier lifestyles, whereas those with existing health issues might increase their supplement intake as part of their health management.

Amid mixed evidence surrounding the benefits of multivitamin supplements, the US Preventive Services Task Force concluded in 2022 that such supplementation offers minimal to no benefit in preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, or mortality, with limited potential benefits observed in lung cancer prevention.