Common Supplement Linked to Better Health in Study of 16,000 Older Adults - Newsweek

What the report says

Newsweek reported that researchers at Augusta University found a daily multivitamin was associated with better functional health among adults 60 and older after three years, compared with a placebo. The findings, based on more than 16,000 participants in the COcoa Supplement Multivitamins Outcomes Study, are due to be presented at NUTRITION 2026, the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting.

Participants in the trial were assigned to receive a multivitamin, cocoa extract, both, or neither, with placebos used for comparison. According to Newsweek, those in the multivitamin group had higher functional health scores, with the clearest differences in reported symptom burden and a combined clinical score that included symptoms and physical ability. Bayu B. Bekele of the Georgia Prevention Institute told Newsweek the effect was modest and did not mean multivitamin users gained abilities that others lacked, but they reported slightly fewer issues such as fatigue and shortness of breath.

The article said the strongest results appeared among people with existing cardiovascular conditions, especially carotid stenosis. Cocoa extract did not show a broad functional-health benefit across the full study group, though researchers reported a significant effect among participants with congestive heart failure.

Newsweek also included caution from Dr. Ellen Fallows, who was not involved in the work and noted that the results came from a conference abstract that had not yet undergone peer review. She said the reported improvements were small and may not be noticeable in everyday life. The article advised older adults to consult health professionals before starting supplements, particularly because product quality varies and supplements can interact with medications.