Americans spend more than $20 billion dollars on multivitamins annually, but you might be able to save yourself some cash by eating more real food instead. According to new research in the Archives of Internal Medicine, that multivitamin you pop each morning may not be doing you much good. The study found that multivitamins have no impact on your risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease or even overall mortality.
“The Women's Health Initiative is one of the largest studies ever done on diet and health,” says the lead researcher of the study, which focused only on women and lasted about 8 years. “Because we have such a large and diverse sample size, including women from 40 sites across the nation, our results can be generalized to a healthy population.”
To make sure you’re consuming the daily-recommended amounts of vitamins, keep an abundance of fruits and vegetables cemented in your nutrition plan. Aim to include at least one serving of fruits or vegetables in every meal.
That said, if you're already eating relatively clean, you may wish to complement your healthy diet with certain vitamins and supplements that can help elevate your performance. Just do your research, and don't fall for lofty claims. If a product isn't backed by science and shown to be pure, then it's probably not worth your money.