Hearts and multivitamins

 

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Taking a multivitamin do es not appear to have a role in preventing cardiovascular disease. A clinical trial lasting about11 years on nearly 15,000 male doctors who were 50 years of age or older tested whether multivitamin use could lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and death from cardiovascular causes.

Howard Sesso of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital:

“Taking a daily multivitamin over the long term appeared to have no risk or benefit on major cardiovascular outcomes.”

Sesso says that to prevent cardiovascular disease, eating right, such as eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, does work.