Jan. 18, 2007 – People 65 and over who take a vitamin and mineral supplement daily would incur the same costs to the public health care system as those who do not, study says1 commissioned by the Scottish authorities.
The researchers evaluated the costs of taking supplements as well as the costs associated with medical consultations and procedures. They followed two groups of patients for 12 months: one who took a daily vitamin and mineral supplement and another who took a placebo every day.
According to their results, minerals and supplements have no economic benefit in terms of public health, at least in people 65 years and older who are still independent (who are not institutionalized). In the supplement group, there were 150 hospital admissions, including 22 treatments for infection, compared to 125 hospital admissions, including 23 treatments for infection, in the placebo group.
These data come from a clinical trial carried out in 2002 on 910 subjects, aged 65 and over, followed for 12 months. In 2005, the same team of researchers published an article revealing that the vitamin and mineral supplement had no noticeable impact on the health of the subjects.2. The people who took the placebo had no more or less infections than those who were entitled to the supplement, and the number of medical consultations was equivalent in the two groups.
Towards the end of the 1990s, the results of a few clinical trials indicated that a supplement of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants could help strengthen the immune system and reduce the onset of infectious diseases in aging people living in institutions.3-5.
The authors of the recent Scottish study point out that the difference between the results of the two teams could be linked to the fact that seniors living in institutions are more often afflicted with nutrient deficiencies than those who are independent.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
1. Kilonzo MM, Vale LD, et al. A cost-utility analysis of multivitamin and multimineral supplements in men and women aged 65 years and over, Clin Nutr, 2006 Dec 30;
2. Avenell A, Campbell MK, et al. Effect of multivitamin and multimineral supplements on morbidity from infections in older people (MAVIS trial): pragmatic, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial, BMJ. 2005 Aug 6; 331 (7512): 324-9. Full text: www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov
3. Girodon F, Lombard M, et al. Effect of micronutrient supplementation on infection in institutionalized elderly subjects: a controlled trial, Ann Nutr Metab. 1997; 41 (2): 98-107.
4. Galan P, Preziosi P, et al. Effects of trace element and / or vitamin supplementation on vitamin and mineral status, free radical metabolism and immunological markers in elderly long term-hospitalized subjects. Geriatric Network MIN. LIVES. AOX, Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1997; 67 (6): 450-60.
5. Girodon F, Blache D, et al. Effect of a two-year supplementation with low doses of antioxidant vitamins and / or minerals in elderly subjects on levels of nutrients and antioxidant defense parameters, J Am Coll Nutr. 1997 Aug; 16 (4): 357-65.