A surprising study disproves the link between daily vitamin supplements and longevity

A massive study of nearly 400,000 adults found that taking a daily multivitamin supplement doesn't help you live longer (as expected).

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in the United States revealed that taking nutritional supplements regularly has no effect on life expectancy.

In fact, the study found that daily multivitamin use was associated with a 4% higher risk of death.

The research team followed the participants (average age 61 years) who had no history of cancer or any other chronic disease.

The study monitored their multivitamin use from 1993 to 2001, and again between 1998 and 2004, with a follow-up period of up to 27 years.

During this period, about 164,762 people died, including 49,836 deaths from cancer, 35,060 from heart disease, and 9,275 from cerebrovascular disease.

The researchers assessed other factors in the participants, such as education level, whether they were former smokers, body mass index, marital status, and alcohol and coffee consumption.

The study found no longevity benefits for those who took daily vitamin supplements.

"The analysis showed that people who took multivitamins daily did not have a reduced risk of death from any cause," the research team says.

Duane Mellor, registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston Medical School, said: 'Vitamin and mineral supplements won't fix an unhealthy diet on their own, but they can help cover essential nutrients if someone is struggling to get them from food.

But the results do not necessarily mean that taking vitamin supplements is not beneficial, as a study published by Harvard University earlier this year found that they can help slow the cognitive decline that occurs with age.

Other research has suggested that it can help people feel healthier.

The study was published in the journal JAMA.