(CBS) – Multivitamins may give you a health boost from day to day, but they may not be as effective when it comes to matters of the heart. A new study finds multivitamins do not protect against major cardiovascular events.
The research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, followed nearly 15,000 healthy male doctors. After about 11 years, there was no difference between those who received multivitamins and those who received fakes.
Multivitamins are the most common dietary supplement in the US. About a third of adults take them. Doctors say taking vitamins is not the way to prevent heart disease.
“It is not a substitute for eating a well-balanced diet; it is not a substitute for regular exercise,” said Dr. Richard Josephson of the UH Case Medical Center.
Last month, the same group of researchers reported some benefits with multivitamins. Men in the study had an 8 percent lower risk of cancer.
