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Vitamins & Supplements: Don’t Waste Your Money
A large study finds the majority of them aren’t effective.
If you’re among the majority of Americans (52%) who take at least one vitamin or dietary supplement daily, odds are good you’re wasting your money. A large review of findings from 277 clinical trials finds the vast majority of these pills and potions, including multivitamins, don’t improve heart health or help you live longer.
The findings are no surprise. Despite the $40 billion or more spent on vitamins and supplements each year in the U.S., multiple studies have questioned their effectiveness, and most supplements are not regulated—meaning you may or may not be getting what you think you’re buying, and few if any respectable studies have been done on their safety or effectiveness.
Other than for specific medical conditions, as prescribed by a physician, it’s becoming clear that the far better path to good health is a balanced diet, with emphasis on fruits and vegetables, experts say.
“The panacea or magic bullet that people keep searching for in dietary supplements isn’t there,” says the new study’s senior author, Erin Michos, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “People should focus on getting their nutrients from a heart-healthy diet, because the…
