Multivitamins May Help Prevent Colds & Infections in Diabetics

A multivitamin seems to ward off colds and minor infections in people with diabetes according to a report in the March 4th issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. All the diabetic patients had type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease.

Forty percent of US adults take some sort of vitamin or mineral supplement on a regular basis, but there is little scientific evidence showing that supplements actually boost health.

Only 17% of diabetics taking a multivitamin reported having an infection, such as an upper respiratory infection, the flu or a gastrointestinal infection, compared with 93% of diabetics who were taking a dummy pill. In addition, 89% of people with diabetes who took a placebo pill reported missing at least one day of work during the one-year study compared with none of the diabetics taking a multivitamin.

Since most participants in the study were overweight and therefore it is uncertain whether people who are overweight but who do not have diabetes, or who only have diabetes but are not overweight would also benefit. Because supplements are safe and relatively inexpensive, taking a daily multivitamin is "a reasonable option" for people who are overweight, who have any type of diabetes, who may not receive adequate nutrition or whose immune system is weak.

Researchers note that two out of three similar studies found no beneficial effect of a multivitamin when it came to preventing infections. However, those two studies were conducted in people who already had an adequate intake of nutrients before taking the supplement.

The researchers concluded that the potential impact of supplements merits further rigorous study, especially among diabetic persons and other vulnerable populations.

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