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Source study found

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WebMD -- Error 404 (opens in a new tab)

webmd.com · 2023-02-14

Short answerEvidenceSource

Short answer

Supported

Supported.

The story matches what the study reports.

  • 2 supported

Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.

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1
2

NewsLink checks it

Supported

Every claim holds up. All two claims match what the study reports.

  • 2 supported
Open claim evidence
3

The source study

Effect of multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo on cognitive function: results from the clinic subcohort of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of 3 cognitive studies within COSMOS.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2024
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Then inspect each claim

Evidence layer

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2 claims in this story

Showing all 2 claimsChoose a verdict to focus the list.

Claim 1 of 2SupportedTaking daily multivitamins appears to slow cognitive aging by about 2 years in older adults.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedabout 2 years

Why this verdict

The abstract-level profile supports that daily multivitamin-mineral supplementation in older adults was associated with/supported by trial evidence for small cognitive benefits, and the internal meta-analysis across three COSMOS cognitive substudies reports that the pooled global cognition effect was interpreted by the authors as equivalent to reducing cognitive aging by approximately 2 years. The story’s hedged wording ('appears') is consistent with the evidence. Important nuance is that the effect was small and the '2 years' figure is an author interpretation of the pooled global cognition effect, not a directly measured two-year reversal of aging.

1

Study evidence

Pooled analysis across three COSMOS cognitive substudies showed a small but statistically significant benefit of daily MVM supplementation versus placebo on global cognition.0.07 SD units (95% CI 0.03 to 0.11); P = 0.0009

“conduct a meta-analysis within COSMOS (COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study) cognitive substudies”
2

Study evidence

MVM vs placebo yielded a mean difference in global cognition of 0.06 SD units over 2 years (95% CI: -0.003 to 0.13), described by authors as a modest benefit.0.06 SD units (95% CI: -0.003 to 0.13)

“COSMOS is a 2 × 2 factorial trial of cocoa extract (500 mg flavanols/d) and/or a daily MVM supplement”
Claim 2 of 2SupportedThe article says this finding is based on three new studies.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedthree new studies

Why this verdict

The paper profile states that the meta-analysis included three nonoverlapping COSMOS cognitive substudies: COSMOS-Clinic, COSMOS-Mind, and COSMOS-Web. Thus the story’s statement that the finding is based on three studies is supported at abstract depth. However, the abstract-profile evidence supports 'three COSMOS substudies' more precisely than 'three new studies'; the newness of each substudy is not independently established at this depth.

1

Study evidence

Pooled analysis across three COSMOS cognitive substudies showed a small but statistically significant benefit of daily MVM supplementation versus placebo on global cognition.0.07 SD units (95% CI 0.03 to 0.11); P = 0.0009

“conduct a meta-analysis within COSMOS (COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study) cognitive substudies”
Then look for missing context

Context layer

What the story left out

Important study details the story did not include.

  • The paper includes a COSMOS-Clinic randomized clinical trial subcohort analysis of daily multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo in adults aged 60 years or older, with in-person neuropsychological testing over 2 years.

    The story mentions daily multivitamins and older adults but, according to the presentation, does not identify the randomized trial design, COSMOS-Clinic, the placebo comparison, the sample size, or the in-person neuropsychological assessment methods.

    From 2×2 factorial randomized clinical trial (MVM vs placebo comparison within COSMOS-Clinic)

  • COSMOS-Clinic results were mixed by cognitive domain: modest global cognition benefit with a confidence interval narrowly including zero, statistically significant episodic memory benefit, and no significant executive function/attention effect.

    The supplied story presentation does not mention the domain-specific pattern or the null executive function/attention finding, which materially qualifies a broad claim about slowing cognitive aging.

    From 2×2 factorial randomized clinical trial (MVM vs placebo comparison within COSMOS-Clinic)

2 things the story did carry across
  • The paper’s pooled estimate comes from an internal meta-analysis of three nonoverlapping COSMOS cognitive substudies: COSMOS-Clinic, COSMOS-Mind, and COSMOS-Web.
  • The pooled meta-analysis found small statistically significant benefits on global cognition and episodic memory, reported in standardized effect-size units, with the approximately 2-year cognitive-aging interpretation tied to global cognition.
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Study layer

Study at a glance

Scan the study first. Expand only the parts you want to inspect.

Pieces of work

2

Evidence read

study summary

Lead result

human in vivo

1Lead resulthuman in vivoTest whether daily multivitamin-mineral (MVM) supplementation versus placebo affects 2-year change in cognitive function using in-person, detailed neuropsychological assessments in the COSMOS-Clinic subcohort.2×2 factorial randomized clinical trial (MVM vs placebo comparison within COSMOS-Clinic)Expand

In plain English

In the COSMOS-Clinic randomized 2×2 factorial substudy (n=573), daily multivitamin-mineral (MVM) supplementation versus placebo was tested for effects on 2-year change in cognition using in-person, detailed neuropsychological assessments; authors report a modest, nondefinitive benefit on global cognition, a statistically significant benefit on episodic memory, and no significant effect on executive function/attention.

Key findings

  • MVM vs placebo yielded a mean difference in global cognition of 0.06 SD units over 2 years (95% CI: -0.003 to 0.13), described by authors as a modest benefit.0.06 SD units (95% CI: -0.003 to 0.13)
  • MVM vs placebo yielded a mean difference in episodic memory of 0.12 SD units over 2 years (95% CI: 0.002 to 0.23), a statistically significant improvement.0.12 SD units (95% CI: 0.002 to 0.23)
“COSMOS is a 2 × 2 factorial trial of cocoa extract (500 mg flavanols/d) and/or a daily MVM supplement”
2secondary dataProvide a more robust estimate of MVM effects on cognition by conducting an internal meta-analysis across three COSMOS cognitive substudies (COSMOS-Clinic, COSMOS-Mind, COSMOS-Web) with nonoverlapping participants.meta-analysis (within-COSMOS cognitive substudies)Expand

In plain English

Internal meta-analysis pooling nonoverlapping participants from three COSMOS cognitive substudies (COSMOS-Clinic, COSMOS-Mind, COSMOS-Web) found small but statistically significant benefits of daily multivitamin-mineral (MVM) supplementation versus placebo on pooled global cognition and episodic memory, reported in SD units.

Key findings

  • Pooled analysis across three COSMOS cognitive substudies showed a small but statistically significant benefit of daily MVM supplementation versus placebo on global cognition.0.07 SD units (95% CI 0.03 to 0.11); P = 0.0009
  • Pooled analysis across three COSMOS cognitive substudies showed a small but statistically significant benefit of daily MVM supplementation versus placebo on episodic memory.0.06 SD units (95% CI 0.03 to 0.10); P = 0.0007
“conduct a meta-analysis within COSMOS (COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study) cognitive substudies”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Abstract provides limited methodological detail on the meta-analysis (e.g., fixed- vs random-effects model, weights, heterogeneity assessment).
  • Analysis is an internal meta-analysis confined to COSMOS substudies and may not generalize beyond the trial program or participant characteristics reported in COSMOS.

2 further details could not be confirmed from the summary.

Finally, the search trail

Method layer

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Open the paper in Tessa

Effect of multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo on cognitive function: results from the clinic subcohort of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of 3 cognitive studies within COSMOS.

The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2024

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Why this one

Confident

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Papers considered

The selected paper, plus nearby candidates.

PubMed, Europe PMC, Crossref · 15 candidate papers

Selected

Effect of multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo on cognitive function: results from the clinic subcohort of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of 3 cognitive studies within COSMOS.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2024 · PubMed

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And 9 more candidates considered.