A recent study has found that giving seniors a daily multivitamin could save the nation several billion dollars in healthcare costs. Study results showed that vitamins can improve overall health, meaning that seniors are less likely to need drugs or hospital care. Researchers looked at a number of studies that examined the effects of taking vitamins on five diseases &endash; coronary artery disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer. While it is estimated that it would cost $2.3-billion to provide seniors with a daily multivitamin over a five-year period, figures suggest that this cost would easily pay for itself. The report estimates that if all seniors took a daily multivitamin costs associated with avoidable hospitalization for heart attacks would drop by approximately $2.4-billion. Meanwhile, it is thought that another $1.6-billion in costs would be saved as a result of improved immune functioning and a reduction in the relative risk of coronary artery disease.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 2nd October 2003.
