Staying Healthy

Should I take a multivitamin or other nutrition supplement?

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By , Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
A mature man smiles as he holds vitamins in one hand and a glass of orange juice in the other.Q. I try to follow a Mediterranean-style diet. As an older man, should I also consider taking a daily multivitamin? Might I benefit from other supplements?

Participants in both studies, average age 72, were assigned to take either a standard multivitamin or a placebo. Their cognition and memory were tested at the study's start and again three years later. In one study, cognitive fitness scores were higher in those taking the multivitamin compared with those taking a placebo. In the other study, multivitamin takers scored higher on memory tests.

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About the Author

photo of Howard E. LeWine, MD

Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Howard LeWine is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. See Full Bio
View all posts by Howard E. LeWine, MD

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