Daily Multivitamin Cut Symptoms in 16,000 Older Adults Over 3 Years
Updated
Updated · mindbodygreen · Jul 28
Daily Multivitamin Cut Symptoms in 16,000 Older Adults Over 3 Years
3 articles · Updated · mindbodygreen · Jul 28
Summary
More than 16,000 adults aged 60 and older in the COSMOS trial showed better symptom burden and overall functional-health scores after taking a daily multivitamin for three years versus placebo.
The gains came mainly from less fatigue, swelling and shortness of breath, while physical-ability measures such as walking, climbing stairs and household tasks did not improve significantly overall.
A 122-person carotid-stenosis subgroup posted larger functional-health improvements, though researchers said the sample was small and needs targeted follow-up trials.
Cocoa extract did not improve functional health in the broader study population, but it helped preserve symptom-burden scores in participants with congestive heart failure.
Researchers presented the findings at the 2026 American Society for Nutrition, adding to earlier COSMOS analyses that linked multivitamins to slower cognitive aging in older adults.