You may have heard or seen a media review of a recent study published the Arch Intern Med 2011:171(18):1625-1633. The authors concluded that multivitamins were not beneficial and might even be harmful.
This was a long-term study of women in Iowa and it was self reported. If the questions are asked and answered correctly we can learn a lot from population studies like this, but in this case they asked "do you take a multivitamin?" NOT which multivitamin? Each participant was queried three times during the 22 years, whether she was taking a multivitamin, not which.
This reminds me of Mark Twain: the difference between the right word and the almost right word is like the difference between a lightning bolt and a lightning bug!
Do you eat cereal? Most of us know the difference between nothing added granola or shredded wheat AND sugar-added cereals, but if you ate either you would answer the question, "Yes." But what a difference.
Like cereals, all vitamins are not the same: not just varying amounts of vitamins and minerals, but other additives, as well.
Enough of a rant; if you want to know more, email your questions to thedoctor@owenwinsettmd.com or call 512-451-5788.
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