Can Multivitamins Help Us Live Longer?

We’ve been getting mixed messages about the benefits of multivitamins for years. But what do experts say when it comes to their effects on longevity? We asked Vanessa King, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Will taking multivitamins help me live longer?

Probably not. A recent NIH observational study found that taking multivitamins didn’t increase longevity for healthy adults. “[These] adults who have balanced diets without deficiencies may not get much of a longevity benefit from a multivitamin,” says King. 

But a multivitamin could help some people get important nutrients and minerals that they’re missing from their diets. King says they could be beneficial if you:

• Have malabsorption illnesses (like celiac disease and IBD)

• Take certain nutrient-depleting medications (like some antibiotics or allergy and cholesterol meds)

• Don’t eat a nutrient-rich diet

• Are pregnant

If you think you could benefit from a multivitamin, talk to your doctor. King suggests you look for products that have been tested for safety and quality. While multivitamins are generally considered safe, they “do not undergo the same rigorous testing as prescription drugs,” says King.