Multivitamin Supplements and Longevity

Vitamins are essential and vital nutrients required by the body to function at peak performance and efficiency. The daily intake of vitamins and minerals plays a crucial role in supporting normal bodily functions. They are necessary for a healthy metabolism and functions of the digestive, endocrine, cardiovascular, neurological, and the immune system of the body. ^[1][2]

Our body needs a proper amount of nutrients and extracts those from our meals to perform several cellular processes. With advancements in production technology and in particular with the ever-increasing amount of highly processed food items in our diet, unfortunately there comes an increasing chance that we become deprived of these important nutrients in our daily food supply. Ideally, a healthy diet should always provide all the essential nutrients - but in reality, that can be tough. For me, taking a multivitamin is like my nutrient insurance plan. In the areas where my food falls short, getting support from a quality multivitamin helps fill the gaps to fulfill my body's requirements and to make sure that my vital organs can operate perfectly. Recent medical studies on certain vitamins also reported that daily supplemental intake of vitamin A, the vitamin B family, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E boosts the immune response against bacterial and viral infections. ^{[2][3][4][10]}

Did You Know?

Medical studies have reported that deficiency of any essential nutrient in the body can lead to chronic medical conditions or permanent disability. For example, it has been reported that deficiency of vitamin B may result in anemia, beriberi, and neurological dysfunctions. Vitamin A deficiency typically results in vision problems, vitamin C deficiency weakens the immune system and can also result in gum disease. Other medical conditions due to deficiency of vitamins include skin problems, osteoporosis, poor blood clotting, cardiovascular dysfunctions, blood disorders, fatigue, metabolic dysfunctions, and other bodily impairments. ^[2][3][5][8]

Typical Nutrients in a Multivitamin

Multivitamin formulations mostly contain vitamin A, C, D, E, K, and the vitamin B family. Also, they usually come with a proper amount of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, chromium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, and other minerals. Some products add certain pseudoscientific or unproven medications, such as herbal extracts that are either newly discovered or have been used in traditional medicine for centuries.

Health Benefits of Multivitamins

Following is an outline of the significance of proper nutrition and the importance of daily vitamin intake in the proper dose, specifically in regards to longevity. For me, without this kind of baseline, discussion or intake of any additional longevity related products becomes almost meaningless.

Vitality and Longevity

Certain nutrients are required for the complete execution of different cellular and metabolic reactions. These nutrients enhance the efficiency of cellular production of energy, increase physical performance, and improve the vitality of various organs. Also, they support and promote the synthesis of certain proteins and DNA to repair and support the health of vital organs. Studies have shown a direct impact of vitamins on longevity. For example, vitamin A plays a significant role in maintaining healthy vision, cell differentiation, and bone growth, promoting the vitality and longevity of organs. Immune cells such as lymphocytes need a proper amount of nutrients to fight effectively against invading germs. Thus, vitamins boost and promote the body's resistance to pathological agents and encourage longevity. ^{[2][3][8][10]}

Certain vitamins, such as vitamin C, E, and others, possess potent antioxidant activity that protects cells and organs against oxidative damage, improves cellular integrity, and enhances the vitality of tissue and organs. Vitamins also have anti-inflammatory activity that, in combination with antioxidant properties, increase resistance to toxins and remove free radicals from the body. ^[2][3][4][7]

Vitamins, including the vitamin B family, support neural functions and can improve mood and symptoms of neurological dysfunctions. They also support gastrointestinal health by helping gut microbiota and increasing the metabolism of fats, carbs, and proteins. The presence of vitamin K promotes vascular functions and makes bones stronger. It is also required for blood coagulation and the healing of wounds. ^[2][9][12]

Apart from the direct impact on the health of internal organs, vitamins like the vitamin B family perform a significant role in different enzymatic processes. That helps improve metabolic reactions, increases red blood cell production, promotes DNA and protein synthesis, helps maintain an optimal level of hormones, and supports the central nervous system's functions. Considering all of this, there is an overall positive and significant role of vitamins in promoting vitality and longevity. ^[2][3][8][9]

Delayed Aging

Vitamins possess anti-aging activity by protecting the organs against stress and assisting their regular functions. The nutrients nourish the body's cells, organs and promote cellular processes via acting as coenzymes in metabolic reactions, relieving oxidative stress. It has been reported that oxidative damage produced by the generation of reactive oxygen species increases the risk of certain diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular dysfunction, cataract formation, all of which plays an important etiological role in the aging process. Also, reactive oxygen species are produced daily during different cellular reactions. So, a daily intake of scavengers like vitamin A, C, E, etc., is essential to help protect and promote optimal functioning of cells and organs. ^{[2][3][4][7][10]}

Thus, multivitamins can help delay aging and enhance longevity. Some vitamins, like vitamin E, can delay skin aging, improve skin tone and enhance skin appearance by removing fine lines, wrinkles, and spots. Vitamins can improve skin rejuvenation by supporting the production of collagen to increase skin tightness, firmness and enhance the youthful appearance of skin. Additionally, vitamins support joint health by playing a significant role in the growth of ligaments. ^{[2][3][16][17]}

Quality of Life

Vitamins enhance and extend life expectancy by reducing the risk of certain chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, cancer, eye problems, and many others, that impair quality of life. It has been reported in medical studies that vitamins and minerals possess significant antioxidant activity that relieves oxidative stress and prevents the risk of organ damage. They have an anti-inflammatory action that reduces the risk of chronic inflammatory conditions, including atherosclerosis and diabetes. The anti-inflammatory activity is attributed to the modulation of pro-inflammatory mediators by regulating the production of cytokines and macrophages. ^{[2][3][4][7][10]}

Vitamins support healthy cardiovascular function by regulating total cholesterol and decreasing the risk of plaque formation in vessels. Vitamins help various brain activities by supporting cognition and memory retention. They also stimulate the nervous system, improve mood, and relieve stress and depression. An optimal amount of vitamin B is required for the proper metabolism of homocysteine to prevent the risk of coronary heart diseases. Other studies have shown that regular intake of vitamin D strengthens bones and teeth, treat osteoporosis, and avoid the risk of fractures, especially in areas with limited sun exposure. ^{[2][8][9][11][14]}

Vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and zinc enhance the immune response against pathological agents, decrease the chances of infections and shorten the disease state's duration or slow down its progression. They act by stimulating and increasing immune cells production in the body, including natural killer cells, lymphocytes, dendritic cells, and antibodies against viral and bacterial infections. ^{[2][3][10][13]}

Precautions

There are no severe side effects associated with a daily intake of multivitamins in the proper dose. However, exceeding the usual recommended doses can lead to significant adverse effects. Excessive intake of multivitamins, including minerals, can results in teeth coloration, muscle weakness, confusion, increased urination, gastrointestinal discomfort, and irregular heart rhythms. Studies have also reported that multivitamins may cause nausea, diarrhea, and stomach or abdominal cramps. Also, consuming a high amount of selenium can result in loss of hair, an upset stomach, weakness, and mild neurological dysfunctions. ^[18][19]

This is part of the reason why I am careful with the doses of vitamins that I am taking. My goal is to supplement my daily vitamin and mineral intake and not to replace it entirely with an artificial product. When I read product labels and how they advertise to contain 100%, or in some cases in excess of 1000%, of a daily recommended dose of vitamins and minerals, it always makes me wonder how much of that I actually need, what is healthy and what might be too much of a good thing.

Lastly, please note that I am only talking about my personal experience and opinion. This is not medical advice and what works for me might not work for you. Please make sure to always consult your primary care physician about any information obtained from or through my site.

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Take a look at this page for a full overview of all the supplements that I am currently taking on a regular basis: Fundamental Longevity Supplements. You will find links to other detailed articles, such as this one, about other supplements significant to longevity. There are also product endorsements and recommendations from me, based on the supplements that I am personally taking after spending years experimenting with different products.

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References:

1. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Diet and Health; Woteki CE, Thomas PR, editors. "Eat for Life: The Food and Nutrition Board's Guide to Reducing Your Risk of Chronic Disease." Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992. Chapter 8, Vitamins, Minerals, And Chronic Diseases.
2. Fortmann SP, Burda BU, Senger CA, et al. "Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplements for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: A Systematic Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [Internet]." Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2013. Chapter 1, Introduction.
3. Milly Ryan-Harshman and Walid Aldoori. "Health benefits of selected vitamins." Canadian family physician, Medecin de famille canadien, vol. 51(7), 2013: 965–968.
4. Anitra C. Carr, Ben-Zhan Zhu, Balz Frei. "Potential Antiatherogenic Mechanisms of Ascorbate (Vitamin C) and α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E)." Circulation Research, vol. 87(5), 2000: 349–354. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.res.87.5.349
5. Joel G. Ray et al. "Association of neural tube defects and folic acid food fortification in Canada." The Lancet, vol. 360(9350), 2002: 2047–2048. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11994-5
6. Tao Huang et al. "Meta-analysis of B vitamin supplementation on plasma homocysteine, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality." Clinical Nutrition, vol. 31(4), 2012: 448–454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2011.01.003
7. Rene Aguirre and James M. May. "Inflammation in the vascular bed: Importance of vitamin C." Pharmacology & Therapeutics, vol. 119(1), 2008: 96–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2008.05.002
8. Alex Ankar and Anil Kumar. "Vitamin B12 Deficiency." In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; Jan. 2020 [Updated June 7, 2020]
9. Fiona O'Leary and Samir Samman. "Vitamin B12 in Health and Disease." Nutrients, vol. 2(3), 2010: 299–316. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu2030299
10. Abel Ang, Juliet M. Pullar, Margaret J. Currie, Margreet C. M. Vissers. "Vitamin C and immune cell function in inflammation and cancer." Biochemical Society Transactions, vol. 46(5), 2018: 1147–1159. https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20180169
11. J. W. Nieves et al. "Calcium and vitamin D intake influence bone mass, but not short-term fracture risk, in Caucasian postmenopausal women from the National Osteoporosis Risk Assessment (NORA) study." Osteoporosis International, vol. 19(5), 2008: 673–679. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-007-0501-2
12. Milly Ryan-Harshman and Walid Aldoori. "Bone health. New role for vitamin K?." Canadian family physician, Medecin de famille canadien, vol. 50, 2004: 993–997.
13. Zhiyi Huang et al. "Role of Vitamin A in the Immune System." Journal of Clinical Medicine, vol. 7(9), 2018: 258. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7090258
14. Ralph Carmel et al. "The frequently low cobalamin levels in dementia usually signify treatable metabolic, neurologic and electrophysiologic abnormalities." European Journal of Haematology, vol. 54(4), 1995: 245–253. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0609.1995.tb00679.x
15. J. Rodrigo Mora, Makoto Iwata, Ulrich H. von Andrian. "Vitamin effects on the immune system: vitamins A and D take centre stage." Nature Reviews Immunology, vol. 8, 2008: 685–698. https://doi.org/10.1038/nri2378
16. Stanley S. Shapiro and Claude Saliou. "Role of vitamins in skin care." Nutrition, vol. 17(10), 2001: 839–844. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0899-9007(01)00660-8
17. Almudena Pérez-Sánchez et al. "Nutraceuticals for Skin Care: A Comprehensive Review of Human Clinical Studies." Nutrients, vol. 10(4), 2018: 403. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10040403
18. https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/effects-of-taking-too-many-vitamins
19. https://www.emedicinehealth.com/drug-multivitamin/article_em.htm