Effect of a Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement on Infection and Quality of Life
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Thomas A. Barringer, MD; Julienne K. Kirk, PharmD; Amy C. Santaniello, PharmD; Kristie Long Foley, PhD; and Robert Michielutte, PhD

4 March 2003 | Volume 138 Issue 5 | Pages 365-371

Background: Use of multivitamin and mineral supplements is common among U.S. adults, yet few well-designed trials have assessed the reputed benefits.

Objective: To determine the effect of a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement on infection and well-being.

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Primary care clinics at two medical centers in North Carolina.

Participants: 130 community-dwelling adults stratified by age (45 to 64 years or 65 years) and presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Intervention: Multivitamin and mineral supplement or placebo taken daily for 1 year.

Measurements: Incidence of participant-reported symptoms of infection, incidence of infection-associated absenteeism, and scores on the physical and mental health subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form.

Results: More participants receiving placebo reported an infectious illness over the study year than did participants receiving multivitamin and mineral supplements (73% vs. 43%; P < 0.001). Infection-related absenteeism was also higher in the placebo group than in the treatment group (57% vs. 21%; P < 0.001). Participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 51) accounted for this finding. Among diabetic participants receiving placebo, 93% reported an infection compared with 17% of those receiving supplements (P < 0.001). Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form scores did not differ between the treatment and placebo groups.

Conclusions: A multivitamin and mineral supplement reduced the incidence of participant-reported infection and related absenteeism in a sample of participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a high prevalence of subclinical micronutrient deficiency. A larger clinical trial is needed to determine whether these findings can be replicated not only in diabetic persons but also in any population with a high rate of suboptimal nutrition or potential underlying disease impairment.

Author and Article Information
From University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, and Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

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