The recent study, “Multivitamin-Mineral Use Is Associated with Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Among Women in the United States,” published in The Journal of Nutrition and conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), found that women who took a multivitamin versus non-users for three or more years had reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD).

In addition, another study from Sweden concluded with similar results showed an association with reduced risk of myocardial infarction in women taking multivitamins for more than five years. According to Duffy MacKay, ND, senior vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs, Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), “We find these results encouraging and they provide another potential reason for women to take their multivitamins. But people should not expect that taking a multivitamin in and of itself would prevent heart disease; we advise people to take their vitamins as just one of the smart choices they make for good health.” An interesting finding was that there were positive results in women only as opposed to men. Yet, despite the facts, MacKay’s advice for both sexes remains the same when it comes to multivitamins. Not only are supplements affordable but they also give consumers the appropriate amount of nutrients. Also, research suggests that multivitamins can help men prevent cancer, “which I would consider the icing on top of the cake.”

For more information, visit www.crnusa.org.