There appears to be a correlation between vitamin consumption and increased mortality rates among older women. Experts have long speculated that supplements may only be effective if a person is lacking in a specific nutrient. Excessive use may even be harmful, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine (1).

Common Health Supplements Linked With Higher Death Rates

All of the women in their 50s and 60s were well-nourished, although several had chosen to take supplements. Multivitamins, folic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron, in particular, appeared to raise death rates. The researchers believe that customers are purchasing supplements with no proof of benefit.

Use Dietary Supplements Only When Needed

The research team is careful to point out that their study was based on 38,000 women in the United States recalling what vitamins and minerals they had consumed over the previous 20 years. It is also impossible to account for all other factors, such as overall physical health, that may have influenced the results.

However, the researchers argue that because of the risk of side effects, supplements should only be used if there is a strong medical reason to do so. “Based on existing evidence, we see little justification for the general and widespread use of dietary supplements,” Dr. Jaakko Mursu of the University of Eastern Finland and his colleagues stated.

Less is More When it Comes to Nutritional Supplements

Many additional supplements, including iron tablets, were found to be substantially associated with a slight (2.4%) increased risk of death in the study. The association with iron was dose-dependent, which meant that the more iron an individual consumed, the greater their risk.

In contrast, calcium supplementation appeared to lower the risk of mortality. However, the researchers say this finding warrants further examination, and they do not advocate that people take calcium unless prescribed by a doctor to cure a deficit.

Dr. Christian Gluud and Dr. Goran Bjelakovic, who assess studies for the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to determine the best evidence, stated, “We think the paradigm ‘The more the better’ is wrong.”

Healthy, Balanced Diet Provides All Necessary Vitamins and Minerals

They claim dietary supplementation has switched from correcting deficiency to promoting wellness and preventing diseases, and they warn: “We believe that for all micronutrients, risks are associated with insufficient and excessive consumption.”

Helen Bond of the British Dietetic Association stated that some people, such as the elderly, may require specific supplements. For example, vitamin D is advised for persons over the age of 65. However, she stated that a good, balanced diet should provide people with all of the necessary vitamins and minerals. She claimed that some people took supplements as an insurance policy, trusting that they would not harm the body. “But too much can be toxic and it is easy to inadvertently take more than the recommended daily amount.”

References:

1. Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women: The Iowa Women’s Health Study
   (Mursu J, Robien K, Harnack LJ, Park K, Jacobs DR. Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women: The Iowa Women’s Health Study. Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(18):1625–1633. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.445)

Source-Medindia