A six-month study on healthy elderly men found that daily multivitamin supplementation had a positive effect on nutrition biomarkers.

The study revealed that changes in nutrition status could also have a direct association with cellular functions, as measured by blood cell oxygen consumption. The study’s results suggest that supplementation may be a useful tool to help individuals remain healthy as they age.

Many older people take multivitamins, thinking that it will improve their health. Prior research, however, has found contradictory results regarding multivitamins’ effect on disease risk. Researchers wanted to find out if supplementing with multivitamins could improve nutrition biomarkers among older people.

Researchers enrolled 35 men aged 68 and older who were otherwise healthy for the study. Half of the participants received a multivitamin, while the other half received a placebo.

During the entire study, no other supplements were allowed except for vitamin D prescribed by a doctor.

The results of the tests conducted at the beginning of the study showed that some older men were not getting the optimal level of vitamins. There was definitely room for improvement.

After the six-month study, there were differences between the supplement group versus the placebo group. The multivitamin group showed improved nutrition biomarkers whereas the placebo group did not.

Several of the participants in the placebo group experienced a decrease in blood nutrition biomarkers throughout the entire study. This shows that food alone was not enough to maintain their vitamin and carotenoids levels.

They play a variety of roles in the health. Beta-carotene, for example, can be a good source of vitamin A.

White blood cells, which are part of the immune system, were tested even though there was no risk of disease being measured.

Researchers were surprised to find that men who took the placebo showed reduced cellular oxygen intake, an indicator of cell function. Men taking multivitamins did not show this effect, which indicates that vitamin status and white blood cell function are related.

Evidence suggests that many older men could benefit from taking a daily multivitamin, but the results vary. Future multivitamin studies will need to know who is most likely to benefit from them in order for them assess risk of disease.