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Daily multivitamins might not help you live longer, study finds: 'No differences in mortality'

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Daily multivitamins might not help you live longer, study finds: 'No differences in mortality'

Approximately one-third of U.S. adults report taking multivitamins, data shows — but a new study suggests that the daily practice won’t extend longevity.

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) analyzed more than 20 years’ worth of data from 400,000 healthy U.S. adults, concluding that taking multivitamins did not reduce mortality risk.

“The analysis showed that people who took daily multivitamins did not have a lower risk of death from any cause than people who took no multivitamins,” the researchers wrote in a press release from NIH. 

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“There were also no differences in mortality from cancer, heart disease or cerebrovascular diseases.”

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Approximately one-third of U.S. adults report taking multivitamins, data shows. (iStock)

Those who took daily multivitamins were actually found to have a 4% higher mortality risk, according to the study, which was published in JAMA Network Open on Wednesday.

The average age of participants was 61-½, and 164, 762 deaths occurred during the follow-up period.

“People who use multivitamins may have healthier lifestyles in general, and sicker patients may be more likely to increase their use of multivitamins.”

Results were adjusted for factors including race, ethnicity, education and nutrition.

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The study followed a 2022 analysis from the US Preventive Services Task Force, which concluded that there was “insufficient evidence” to determine whether multivitamin use improved mortality.

Woman taking pill

Those who took daily multivitamins were actually found to have a 4% higher mortality risk, according to the study, which was published in JAMA Network Open on Wednesday. (iStock)

By including larger numbers of participants and extending the follow-up for longer periods of time, the researchers aimed to account for potential biases that could have influenced the findings.

“For example, people who use multivitamins may have healthier lifestyles in general, and sicker patients may be more likely to increase their use of multivitamins,” they wrote in a press release from NIH.

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Pieter Cohen, associate professor of medicine at the Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts, was not involved in the study but offered his feedback.

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“This study provides further evidence that taking multivitamins, even for 20 years or more, won’t extend your life,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“For healthy adults, there’s no reason to add on a multivitamin unless your doctor specifically recommends it.”

Doctor points out limitations

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, was also not involved in the study but weighed in on the findings.

Dr. Brett Osborn

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert with Senolytix, is a proponent of daily multivitamins. (Dr. Brett Osborn)

“Key aspects of the study include its observational nature, the absence of a control group, and the variability in multivitamin formulations used by participants,” he said in an email to Fox News Digital.

(The researchers also acknowledged these limitations in their discussion of the study results.)

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“Most multivitamins contain a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals, but the concentrations can vary widely across brands and formulations,” a doctor said.  (iStock)

“Observational studies like this one can suggest associations or correlations, but cannot prove causation due to the potential for confounding variables influencing both multivitamin use and mortality outcomes,” Osborn said. 

While the researchers noted that they had adjusted for factors such as demographics, lifestyle behaviors and health status, Osborn said, “residual confounding remains a concern.”

The doctor also noted that lack of a control group makes it difficult to compare outcomes.

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“Without a control group, it’s challenging to separate the effects of multivitamins from those of other health behaviors or baseline health conditions that could influence mortality,” Osborn said.

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The study also does not include controls for the specific formulation or dosage of multivitamins taken by participants, the doctor noted. 

hand holds out pills

The study highlights the importance of “rigorous scientific inquiry” into the health benefits of multivitamins, a doctor said. (iStock)

“Most multivitamins contain a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals, but the concentrations can vary widely across brands and formulations,” he said. 

“Many commercially available multivitamins may not provide optimal levels of nutrients required for health benefits, potentially diluting any potential effects on longevity.”

                       

In his practice, Osborn said, he recommends a multi-capsule daily multivitamin to his patients. 

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Vitamin usage is just one aspect of longevity, the doctor pointed out, along with genetics, lifestyle, socioeconomic status and access to health care, among other factors.

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“The multifactorial nature of longevity means that isolating the impact of multivitamins alone is complex and challenging, if not impossible,” Osborn said. 

“There are just too many potentially confounding variables.”

The study highlights the importance of “rigorous scientific inquiry” into the health benefits of multivitamins, according to the doctor.

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Vitamin usage is just one aspect of longevity, a doctor pointed out, along with genetics, lifestyle, socioeconomic status and access to health care. (iStock)

“In my opinion, multivitamins should be taken, as most Americans are malnourished — certainly not calorically, but in the context of vitamins and minerals.”

Looking ahead, the researchers emphasized the importance of measuring multivitamins’ impact on mortality in more diverse populations with different medical conditions and dietary habits.

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“It is important to evaluate multivitamin use and risk of death among different kinds of populations, such as those with documented nutritional deficiencies, as well as the potential impact of regular multivitamin use on other health conditions associated with aging,” they wrote.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment, as well as the vitamin manufacturers PharmaVite (NatureMade), Nestlé Health Science (Garden of Life and Nature’s Bounty), and Life Extension.

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Joe Biden's osteopathic doctor pleads the Fifth on mental acuity: DO vs MD

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Joe Biden's osteopathic doctor pleads the Fifth on mental acuity: DO vs MD

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As the probe into Joe Biden’s mental acuity continues, the former president’s personal physician, Kevin O’Connor, DO, made an appearance this week in Washington, D.C., in front of the House Oversight Committee.

O’Connor sat down for a closed-door interview on Wednesday with committee staff and panel chair James Comer, R-Ky. — but O’Connor invoked the Fifth Amendment to all questions, save for his name, as Fox News Digital previously reported.

In the wake of this, many people have been wondering: What’s the difference between a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) and a doctor of medicine (MD)?

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Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News’ senior medical analyst, confirmed that the capabilities of both a DO and an MD are the same, even when it comes to acknowledging mental decline or diagnosing and screening for prostate cancer.

“He’s a DO and he’s a family practitioner,” said Siegel. “With that training, he should know how to screen for prostate cancer.”

The House Oversight Committee questioned former President Joe Biden’s White House physician Kevin O’Connor, DO, shown here with Biden, during a hearing this week as part of a probe into Biden’s mental decline.  (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

Training as a DO should not “take away” from medical training or medical education, said Siegel, who’s an internist — it only adds osteopathic methods such as manipulative treatment.

“I’m trained to be able to suss out cognitive decline,” said Siegel. “I’m not a specialist in that, but I can certainly screen for that. And so should a family practitioner who went to osteopathic school.”

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He added, “He’s a guy who should say, ‘Hey, [Biden’s] got some cognitive decline. Let me get a neurologist in here.’”

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As a White House physician, O’Connor’s responsibility was to address the medical needs of the president. 

But DOs have more of a focus on the “mind, body, spirit connection,” according to Cleveland Clinic.

MDs and DOs have similar schooling, do the same jobs, can prescribe medicine and practice anywhere in the country. Still, DOs approach medicine more holistically, according to the same source.

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DOs and MDs receive the same kind of training and can administer the same modern medical treatments. But DOs may approach medicine more holistically. (iStock)

Cleveland Clinic defines osteopathic medicine as treating patients as a whole and improving wellness through education and prevention.

DOs also receive extra training in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), which is a hands-on method for treating and diagnosing patients.

This alternative training and approach don’t define a doctor’s practice, as DOs use “all types of modern medical treatments,” according to Cleveland Clinic — while MDs can also provide whole-person, preventive care.

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DO training was first developed in 1892 by physician Andrew Taylor Still, MD, who changed his philosophy of medicine after the Civil War, the same source noted.

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He believed traditional medicine to treat spinal meningitis, which killed three of his children, was ineffective — and developed the concept of osteopathic medicine.

man having his spine examined at doctor's office

“Osteopathic manipulative medicine, or osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), involves manipulating (touching or moving) your muscles, bones and joints,” Cleveland Clinic notes. (iStock)

In the U.S., as of 2023, there were 154 allopathic medical schools – using medication, surgery and other interventions to treat illnesses – and 38 otheopathic medicine schools, according to Cleveland Clinic.

A 2024 report from the American Osteopathic Association found that 57% of DOs practice family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics — compared to 28% of MDs.

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The number of DOs in the U.S. has been on the rise in the last decade, according to the same report. 

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Nearly 70% of DOs in active practice are under age 45 — and 45% are female.

Several U.S. presidents have been under the care of osteopathic physicians in recent years.

O’Connor was appointed by Biden in 2021, serving until March 2025 in the role of White House physician. 

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Dr. Sean Barbabella, DO, stepped into the role that same month. He is a decorated Navy physician who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

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Before becoming physician to President Donald Trump, Barbabella ran the Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina, according to multiple sources. 

Dr. Sean Conley, DO, served as a physician to Trump during his first term, from 2018 to 2021. 

House GOP members, including Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, a former White House doctor himself, continue to investigate accusations that Biden’s former top White House aides covered up signs of his mental and physical decline while in office, and whether any executive actions were commissioned via autopen without the president’s full knowledge. 

Biden allies have been pushing back on those claims.

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Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed reporting. 

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How One Woman Overcame Emotional Eating and Lost 160 Pounds

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How One Woman Overcame Emotional Eating and Lost 160 Pounds


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How to avoid getting 'office chair butt' from prolonged sitting at work

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How to avoid getting 'office chair butt' from prolonged sitting at work

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Office workers have something new to worry about, according to a warning that’s gone viral on social media.

“Office chair butt” is trending as a side effect of sitting for too many hours, leaving the appearance of a flatter behind.

Alissa Mosca, a certified fitness trainer with Planet Fitness in New York, confirmed that “office chair butt” refers to muscle loss due to sitting stagnant in one position and not activating the muscles in the posterior chain (along the back of the body).

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To combat this, Mosca recommends performing the following simple exercises throughout the day to stimulate muscle activation in the glutes, hamstrings and quads.

“Office chair butt” can occur with prolonged sitting and lack of muscle movement, experts warn. (iStock)

  • Air squats (using only body weight, squat down and then return to a standing position)
  • Lunges (step forward or backward until the knee is bent at a 90-degree angle with the back straight)
  • Good mornings (bend forward at the hips with a straight back, then return to an upright position)
  • Bulgarian split squats (perform a lunge forward while the back foot is elevated on a bench or platform behind you)

“These four exercises require no equipment and can even be done from the office chair,” she added.

SITTING STILL FOR THIS AMOUNT OF TIME IS RELATED TO HIGH RISK OF NECK PAIN, STUDY SAYS

“It’s important to not only focus on strength training exercises that activate the glutes, which are being sat on all day, but the surrounding muscles as well, which is what adds support to the whole posterior chain,” Mosca said.

She encourages office workers to incorporate some type of movement every time they get up from their seat — ideally picking one of the four movements above and performing 12 to 15 reps, two to three times.

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“Once that becomes more of a routine, try setting a timer to do this every 45 minutes to an hour,” the trainer suggested.

Woman stretching while working at office

A trainer recommends that office workers stand up every hour to stretch and work the muscles. (iStock)

Incorporating these exercises into a gym routine is also a great way to prevent muscle loss, according to Mosca.

This might include a circuit with kettlebell swings, Smith machine squats (performed on a machine with a fixed barbell), hip thrusts and walking on an incline.

SIMPLE DAILY ACTIVITY COULD REDUCE RISK OF LOWER BACK PAIN, STUDY FINDS

Jonathan Puleio, a board-certified professional ergonomist and global vice president at Humanscale – a New York City consulting practice focused on corporate ergonomics – also spoke about “office chair butt.”

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“Not only are the muscle groups atrophying and weakening, but there’s also a buildup of fat tissue, which has a very different consistency and density than muscle,” he told Fox News Digital. “That’s why … the shape of the tissue appears much flatter — and even saggy, in some scenarios.”

business man talking on phone in office

Office chairs with more supportive mechanisms or standing desks are great swaps for promoting better posture and movement, experts advise. (iStock)

Puleio agreed that muscle atrophy can be supported by movement and posture shifts, but noted that chair design also plays a big role.

“Any chair design that can promote movement and support postural shifts regularly throughout the day can certainly combat issues like this,” the expert said.

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Sitting in a chair that supports movement, such as one with a self-adjusting recline mechanism, can help prevent this condition, according to Puleio.

“The recline tension is based on the user’s body weight,” he said. “This removes the barriers to movement that we typically see on traditionally designed chairs.”

two coworkers on a walk outside office

Simply walking is a great exercise to strengthen muscles during the workday, experts say. (iStock)

Puleio also recommends using sit-to-stand workstations and performing some tasks while standing, such as taking a phone call on your feet.

“Taking micro-breaks, stepping away from your work, going to get a glass of water, taking a lap around the office, going outside and taking a quick walk – these are all great ways to combat this particular issue,” he said.

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The expert also urges employers to take their employees’ comfort seriously and to take steps to ensure healthy workplace ergonomics.

“Discomfort is the precursor to pain and injury,” he warned, noting that injuries can be “costly and debilitating.”

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