Source: Journal of Nutrition, March 2015, 114.204743

Research: Multivitamin-mineral (MVM) products are the most commonly used supplements in the U.S., followed by multivitamin (MV) products. Two randomized clinical trials (RCTs) did not show an effect of MVMs or MVs on cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality; however, no clinical trial data are available for women with MVM supplement use and CVD mortality.

The objective of this research was to examine the association between MVM and MV use and CVD-specific mortality among U.S. adults without CVD.

A nationally representative sample of adults from the restricted data NHANES III (1988–1994; n = 8678; age ≥40 y) were matched with mortality data reported by the National Death Index through 2011 to examine associations between MVM and MV use and CVD mortality by using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for multiple potential confounders.

Researchers observed no significant association between CVD mortality and users of MVMs or MVs compared with non-users; however, when users were classified by the reported length of time products were used, a significant association was found with MVM use of >3 years compared with non-users (HR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.85). This finding was largely driven by the significant association among women (HR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.85) but not men (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.44, 1.42). No significant association was observed for MV products and CVD mortality in fully adjusted models.

In this nationally representative data set with detailed information on supplement use and CVD mortality data approximately 20 years later, researchers found an association between MVM use of >3 years and reduced CVD mortality risk for women when models controlled for age, race, education, body mass index, alcohol, aspirin use, serum lipids, blood pressure and blood glucose/glycated hemoglobin. Researchers concluded that results are consistent with the one available RCT in men, indicating no relation with MVM use and CVD mortality. NW