BMJ  2005;331 (6 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7512.0-c

Supplements don't protect the elderly from infections

Multivitamin and multimineral food supplements don't seem to protect elderly people living at home from infections or improve their quality of life. In a pragmatic double blind controlled trial, Avenell and colleagues (p 324) randomised 910 people aged over 64 to supplementation or placebo. They found no significant differences in frequency of attending primary care for infection, antibiotic prescriptions, hospital admissions, adverse events, compliance, self reported days of infection, and quality of life.

Credit: LAUREN SHEAR/SPL

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Relevant Article

Effect of multivitamin and multimineral supplements on morbidity from infections in older people (MAVIS trial): pragmatic, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial

Alison Avenell, Marion K Campbell, Jonathan A Cook, Philip C Hannaford, Mary M Kilonzo, Geraldine McNeill, Anne C Milne, Craig R Ramsay, D Gwyn Seymour, Audrey I Stephen, Luke D Vale Writing Group of the MAVIS trial
BMJ 2005 331: 324-329. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Rapid Responses:

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What supplements used and in what form?

Mike L Gordon
bmj.com, 24 Dec 2005 [Full text]