Pill taken by half of UK adults linked to increased risk of early death

An over-the-counter pill nearly half of UK adults take at least once a week has been linked to an increase in the risk of early death. US research has analysed the medical records of 400,000 people with no major long-term diseases and found that people who took muli-vitamins were marginally more likely to die within 20 years than those who didn't.

The Government researchers said: “multivitamin use to improve longevity is not supported”. The latest research comes on the back of previous studies with similar results.

Reasearch has found, for example, that while natural beta-carotene protects against cancer, beta-carotene supplements can increase the risk of some cancer and heart disease, reports The Guardian. Too much iron raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and dementia.

Dr Erikka Loftfield and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland found no evidence that daily multivitamins reduced the risk of death. Instead, there was a 4% higher chance of early death in those who took multivitamins in the study published in Jama Network.

Dr Neal Barnard, professor of medicine at George Washington University, said. “The main point is the multivitamins are not helping. The science is not there.”