According to two articles published by Harvard researchers in the June 19, 2002 issue of the highly respected Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), long-term use of a multivitamin can promote good health and help prevent disease. In the articles, prepared by Robert H. Fletcher, M.D., M.Sc., and Kathleen M. Fairfield, M.D., Dr. P.H., of Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, the researchers stated: "we recommend that all adults take a multivitamin daily"

The two physicians reviewed more than 30 years of articles about vitamins in relation to chronic diseases and published their findings in two companion articles. The two researchers agreed that low intakes of a number of vitamins are associated with increased risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis. They note that a large proportion of individuals do not meet the daily intake requirements for a number of vitamins, exposing them to increased disease risk. They emphasize the cost of routinely using a multivitamin is small when compared to the possible benefits.

The scientific evidence in favor of consistent use of vitamins, especially multivitamins, must be taken seriously, both by the medical community and by those who create public policy. Drs. Fletcher and Fairfield state that most people do not get an optimal amount of nutrients by diet alone, which indicates that supplements can help bridge the gap.

With regard to B vitamins and cardiovascular disease, the Harvard researchers concluded that clinical trial results still need to provide more specific information on vitamin doses required to minimize homocysteine levels. Until then, recommending a daily multivitamin for most adults is most likely the best approach.

On the subject of vitamin E and heart disease, they recognized that some clinical trials have failed to find a benefit in people at high risk of heart disease, or in patients with known coronary artery disease. However, they suggest that vitamin E may yet prove useful in the primary prevention of heart disease in the general population when taken for long periods of time. Vitamin E in relation neuromuscular diseases} was not evaluated.

Vitamin D supplementation is recommended at a level of 400 IU daily the amount commonly included in multivitamin supplements. Vitamin D supplementation has been clinically proven to aid in the prevention of osteoporosis, a condition where bones weaken and eventually fracture. The addition of calcium in a multivitamin may be required to optimize the benefits of vitamin D in preventing fracture risk.

The researchers suggest that all women who might become pregnant supplement their diets with folate (folic acid) in order to protect against neural tube defects in newborns. They recommend supplementing the diet with up to 800 micrograms per day. Women capable of pregnancy should get at least 400 mcg of folic acid per day from supplements or fully fortified cereals, in addition to the naturally occurring folate in their regular diets.

These JAMA articles provide more good news for those individuals who already incorporate vitamins into their daily routine. They may also motivate others to start taking a multivitamin daily.

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