Study: Multivitamins fail to extend life span

Researchers at the National Institute of Health are checking multivitamins off the list of what makes us live longer after a more than 20-year study.

They followed nearly 400,000 Americans to link the relationship between long-term multivitamin use and mortality and concluded multivitamin use didn’t reduce death.

"I’m not surprised by this study at all," said Dr. John Whyte, the Chief Medical Officer at Web MD. "Those persons who took multivitamins didn’t see any reductions in terms of risk of death, from cancer, heart disease stroke so it really makes you want to rethink."

Consumers should rethink, he said, whether the dollars spent on the multivitamins by a third of American adults make sense.

"There is no magic pill, and this really is an important study for people’s health as well as their pocketbook," Whyte said.

But he did make an exception for people with vitamin deficiencies where there’s a legitimate need for supplements. 

It's also worth noting that all adults from the study had no chronic illnesses.

Dr. Whyte wrapped sharing the only real magic pills for improving one's health condition and longevity are commitments to a good balanced diet and as much exercise every week as possible.