Use of vitamin and mineral supplements and risk for mortality from heart disease

The use of dietary supplements by the general population is on the rise. However, little long-term evidence is available on the effects of dietary supplements and the relative risk (RR) for mortality from heart disease. Using data from the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Health Epidemiological Follow-up Survey, this study examined the use of multivitamins and the RR for mortality in persons aged 25–74 years. The study found that the RR for mortality from heart disease in regular consumers of multivitamins and minerals was .93 (95% CI: .67, 1.29) for men, 1.00 (95% CI: .83, 1.23) for women, and .95 (95% CI: .73, 1.13) for women aged 55 and older, none of which were significant: The study concluded that the regular consumption of multivitamin and mineral supplements has no effect on longevity in healthy persons or the RR for heart disease.