Daily Multivitamin May Lower Hypertension Risk in Seniors

Researchers from Mass General Brigham conducted a study indicating that taking a daily multivitamin over an extended period may help reduce the risk of developing hypertension and lower blood pressure in some older adults. This analysis was part of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), which included 8,905 participants without hypertension at the study's start.

Participants were assigned to take either Centrum Silver or a placebo daily for a median of 3.4 years. The study found that multivitamins had moderate benefits for individuals with lower-quality diets and those with normal blood pressure at the beginning of the study.

However, overall, daily multivitamin use did not significantly impact hypertension risk or blood pressure for all older adults. The authors suggest further research is needed to explore the effects of daily multivitamins in younger and middle-aged adults and across different nutritional statuses.

Corresponding author Rikuta Hamaya stated that the findings indicate a daily multivitamin may not be universally effective for blood pressure control.