Less risk of cancer from multivitamin supplements?

According to a study, multivitamin supplements should reduce the risk of cancer. Experts criticize the study as too inaccurate and do not advise to additional intake of supplements with artificial vitamins.

20/10/2012

An evaluation by the American Association for Research on Cancer of a recent nutritional supplement study showed slight effects in reducing the risk of cancer when male volunteers regularly consume multivitamin supplements. The study, published in the journal JAMA, aims to refute other research that reported that vitamin supplements can increase cancer risk. Experts, however, find that a healthy lifestyle is far more effective than swallowing vitamin pills on a daily basis.

Recent medical research warns against dietary supplements that are mixed with vitamins or minerals. These are largely superfluous and some could even increase the risk of disease. However, multivitamin supplements could slightly reduce the risk of cancer in men, according to the authors of the study.

Multivitamin supplements are the most widely used supplements in the US. About one third of adults take the vitamin pills regularly. According to study author J. Michael Gaziano from Boston, "no observational studies have so far provided evidence for specific cancer incidence and mortality." The researchers wanted to use their paper to determine "whether prolonged intake of vitamin supplements reduces the risk of cancer events in men."

The study involved over 15,000 men. All subjects who are themselves physicians had already passed the 50th year of life and were clinically healthy at the beginning of the study. During the observation period, about half of the participants took a multivitamin preparation, the others received a placebo as a comparison group.

Eight percent reduced total risk of cancer
At the end of the study, it was found that the vitamin pill group was about eight percent less likely to develop cancer than those who took a sham. "Compared to the placebo group, the men who consumed multivitamin daily showed a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of cancer," study author J. Michael Gaziano said. In addition, "no significant effect of a daily multivitamin intake on prostate cancer could be observed".

But is the effect actually a gain with which people can balance their unhealthy lifestyle? Because a healthy diet, active exercise and smoking waiver can reduce the risk of cancer for comparison by 20 to 30 percent, countered critics. In addition, the study was only undertaken with men, which is why it is unclear how the regular intake affects women or what the effects are in young men or already ill patients.

Insufficient significance of the study
"It's a very mild effect, and I'm not sure the result is so significant that you can recommend any vitamin supplement," criticized Ernest Hawk, vice president of cancer prevention at the University of Texas Cancer Research Center

The cancer expert had evaluated the study for the US Cancer Research Association and presented it at the Cancer Research Meeting in Anaheim, California. Nevertheless, the work was "promising", because it also showed that "the examined preparations can not harm health," said Hawk.

The pharmaceutical industry suggests with their application of the products that these can be a kind of compensation for bad lifestyles. For example, the "Iowa Women's Health Study" showed that "artificially produced vitamin pills lowers the relative life expectancy of women." Only calcium tablets were able to reduce the risk of dying women by 3.8 percent during the long-term study.

The study director J. Michael Gaziano was also careful in his conclusion. Many people are taking the means to make up for a deficit. But that could not be achieved. However, the study produced evidence that older men could reduce their cancer risk by taking it, Gaziano said.

Because there are now different indications and the study showed uncertainties, the scientists spoke at the conference for further research in this area. The analysis showed that the subjects in the present study were in the majority of healthier lifestyles. For example, only four percent of the participants were smokers.

Who does not want to give up vitamin pills
Anyone who does not want to give up the pills, should, according to the experts, take important advice. First, the pills are not subject to the strict review rules of drug approval as they are not medications but so-called nutritional supplements. Before taking it, the treating physician should be consulted, as it may also lead to negative drug interactions. Thus, the intake of vitamin K is not compatible with special medicines for the heart or blood thinners. An additional vitamin C intake may also reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Especially smokers and former smokers should refrain from the vitamin pills, since a high amount of beta carotene or vitamin A may increase the risk of lung cancer. This had recently been determined by other studies.

All in all, therefore, it can be said that natural vitamins are the fruits and vegetables, much healthier than artificially produced in pill form. (Sb)

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