Daily multivitamin linked to better daily functioning in adults over 60

Older adults who took a daily multivitamin for three years reported significantly better functional health than those who received a placebo, according to a secondary analysis of data from the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS). The findings, which focus on the ability to manage everyday activities without limiting symptoms, were presented at NUTRITION 2026, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition (EurekAlert).

Researchers analyzed responses from more than 16,000 participants aged 60 years and older. In the original COSMOS trial, participants were randomly assigned to a daily multivitamin, a cocoa extract supplement, both, or placebos. Functional health was assessed using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, a validated tool that measures physical function, symptom burden, and a clinical summary score combining those elements (ScienceDaily).

After three years, the multivitamin group showed statistically significant improvements compared with placebo, with the strongest differences in symptom burden and the clinical summary score. Lead presenter Bayu B. Bekele, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Georgia Prevention Institute of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, said the work uniquely emphasizes how people feel and function day to day rather than solely major disease prevention. “For older adults, these findings suggest that a daily multivitamin could be a helpful, low-risk addition to a healthy lifestyle to support physical well-being as they age, although it is not a substitute for a good diet or exercise,” Bekele stated (News-Medical).

Bekele and colleagues, including Yanbin Dong, MD, PhD, noted that multivitamin use supporting heart health and physical function may help maintain activities such as dressing, bathing, walking, climbing stairs, and household chores. Benefits may be especially relevant for those experiencing fatigue, shortness of breath, or swelling. A more detailed report indicated modest overall gains, with larger, clinically meaningful improvements observed in a subgroup of 122 participants with carotid stenosis (Inside Precision Medicine).

Cocoa extract did not significantly improve functional health scores in the overall study population, though it showed benefit among participants with congestive heart failure. The analysis builds on prior COSMOS findings related to cognition and biological aging markers but does not alter earlier results showing no reduction in major cardiovascular events from multivitamins (U.S. News).

The study was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant. Investigators stressed that the results are preliminary: abstracts at the meeting undergo expert selection but not the full peer-review process required for journal publication. People should consult a physician before starting supplements. The research highlights functional independence as a key aspect of quality of life in aging, with multivitamins offering a potential low-cost supportive option alongside established lifestyle measures (Newsweek).