Taking a daily multivitamin could help ward off cognitive decline, says new research – allowing older adults to live independently for longer.
The benefits of taking multivitamins have been widely disputed for years, with many experts claiming there is scant evidence to justify their use.
But new research from Augusta University, Georgia, found that taking a daily multivitamin for three years could improve a broad range of age-related symptoms in older adults.
Participants who regularly took the supplement – which cost from £3.50 for a six-month supply – saw improvements to both their physical and cardiovascular health.
By reducing fatigue, boosting circulation and supporting physical stamina, concluded the research team, the multivitamin could even help improve cognitive functioning.
‘What makes this work unique is our focus on how people actually feel and function in their daily lives – rather than just the prevention of major diseases,’ said Dr Bayu Bekele, an expert in preventive medicine and the study’s lead author.
‘A daily multivitamin could be a helpful, low-risk addition to a healthy lifestyle to support physical wellbeing as [older adults] age.’
The study – which was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition today – followed more than 16,000 people aged 60 and over.
The benefits of taking multivitamins have been disputed for decades
Participants were randomly assigned to take a daily multivitamin – containing essential B vitamins, zinc and vitamins A, C and E – a cocoa extract supplement, both or neither.
Provisional figures suggested taking the daily multivitamin slowed cognitive ageing by around 60 per cent – the equivalent of 1.8 years over the three-year study.
Using the same cohort, the team found that taking the multivitamin for two years slowed biological ageing, equivalent to around two months a year.
To reach this conclusion, they tested participants’ ability to recall past events, follow instructions, remember words and order numbers.
After three years those taking a daily multivitamin performed better on measures of overall cognition, episodic memory and executive function than those given a placebo
But the researchers warned further research was needed to prove this effect.
Now, they’ve shown after three years, participants taking the multivitamin are in significantly better health than those taking a placebo – based on six measures of physical ability.
The questionnaires assessed a patients ability to perform day-to-day activities such as dressing, bathing, walking, climbing stairs and household chores, as well as symptom burden to determine how well they were feeling and functioning in daily life.
The greatest differences were seen in symptoms including fatigue, breathlessness and swelling – all of which reflect heart health.
People with a pre-existing heart condition including heart failure and carotid stenosis – a build-up of plaque in the arteries which can lead to blurred vision, confusion and even stroke – benefited the most.
The researchers concluded: ‘Multivitamin use supporting heart health and overall physical function may help maintain the ability to perform everyday activities such as dressing, bathing, walking, climbing stairs, jogging or hurrying, and completing household chores.
‘These benefits may be particularly relevant for individuals experiencing fatigue shortness of breath or swelling in the feet, which can limit daily functioning.’
Cocoa extract did not appear to affect scores overall, but it did provide a significant benefit in patients with heart failure, due to anti-inflammatory compounds in the beans, known as polyphenols.
Researchers stopped short of recommending that all older people should start taking multivitamins, but said there is mounting evidence that the daily supplements could help support healthy ageing.
Previous studies have even suggested multivitamins can lower the risk of cancer, ward off dementia and support eyesight.
The team now want to find out if the improvements translate into fewer diseases and longer life, calling for targeted clinical trials assessing the link between multivitamins and heart health.
It comes as a joint pain supplement taken by millions of Britons has potentially been linked to an increased risk of dementia.
Experts from the University of Florida found that glucosamine – commonly used to ease joint aches and pains – was associated with a 25 per cent increased risk of progressing from mild memory problems to Alzheimer’s disease.
