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Subscribe to RSSA daily dose of vitamin E could actually increase a man's risk of prostate cancer, a new study shows. NBC's Robert Bazell reports.
Yet another dietary supplement has backfired.
A daily dose of vitamin E could actually increase a man's risk of prostate cancer, a study out today shows. Researchers discovered the disturbing link while studying the effects of antioxidants on men's health.
The vitamin E study comes on the heels of yesterday's report that common daily supplements, including multivitamins, iron, B6 and magnesium, appear to raise the death rate of older women.
There are big differences between these two studies, but both point to the inevitable conclusion that vitamins and supplements are not the magic potions that many people hope, even though more than two-thirds of the U.S. population takes them and they make up a $28 billion-a-year industry.
The vitamin E study, called the SELECT trial, began in 2001, used the highest standard of scientific evidence -- a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial -- with the goal of proving vitamin E and selenium reduced the risk of prostate cancer. The rationale was sound. Small studies had suggested that the antioxidant effects of the two substances might reduce a man's cancer risk.
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As part of this major trial, funded by the National Cancer Institute, 35,000 men were recruited to test one or both of the compounds, or a placebo. By 2008, the study was halted because the evidence was clearly showing no benefit.
Meanwhile, researchers continued to monitor the men. After four more years of follow-up, they found that vitamin E actually increased the risk for prostate cancer by 17 percent among men who took a daily dose of 400 IU, according to the report's conclusion published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. While the verdict on selenium is still not in, the researchers fear it might show negative effects, too, as they continue to follow the participants.
"I was surprised by the results of this trial," says Dr. Eric Klein, a urologist and the study leader from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. "There was a substantial amount of evidence going into SELECT when it was designed in the early 2000s to suggest that vitamin E or selenium might prevent prostate cancer and that's why we did the trial."
Because the government rules for the sales of vitamins and supplements are so much more lax than those for pharmaceuticals, you can still walk into a health food store today and find a bottle of Vitamin E with a label that reads: "Supports prostate health."
"Consumers should be skeptical about claims that are made on bottles and elsewhere unless there is solid scientific evidence," Klein says.
In the multivitamin study, researchers tracked 3,800 older women in Iowa for nearly two decades. The study found women taking vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron had higher death rates. Those taking calcium had lower death rates.
It is important to note the multivitamin study was an observational trial where women simply filled out questionnaires regularly about their vitamin and supplement intake. The authors of this study say it is only suggestive and more research is needed to establish cause and effect.
Common vitamins could increase death risk
Despite all those supplements on the shelves, all too often, the evidence is just not there. The two studies together do raise the issue that Americans may be taking far more supplements and vitamins than they need and sometimes it can be harmful. As the Cleveland Clinic study shows, the products may not just waste your money, they could harm your health.
The take-home message: Most Americans get the nutrients they eat from food. As boring as that mantra sounds, you are better off eating fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly and maintaining a normal weight. A pill will seldom substitute.
Robert Bazell is NBC's Chief Science and Medical Correspondent.
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I hate all these studies that throw out words like "may" and "could" like candy.
Oral sex may cause throat cancer in gay men.
Abortion causes breast cancer.
Diabetes causes colon cancer.
Antiperspirant and deodorant causes breast cancer.
Medical microchips cause cancer.
Eating tomatoes causes cancer.
Eating char from the BBQ causes cancer.
Hormone therapy causes breast cancer.
Cola causes cancer.
Very hot tea causes throat cancer.
Marijuana causes cancer.
Coffee causes cancer.
Pickles cause cancer.
Food additives cause cancer.
Sunscreens cause skin cancer.
Styrofoam causes cancer.
Hot dogs cause cancer.
Bacon causes cancer.
Doughnuts cause cancer.
Potato chips cause cancer.
Cookies cause cancer.
Cell phones cause brain cancer.
The lists of "may" and "could" goes on and on. And yes, there have been studies that say all of the above.
The study on multivitamin use in older women is junk science plain and simple. The results were self reported 3 times over a span of 19 years. The vitamin E and Selenium study appears to be valid however and deserves men's attention but closer scrutiny of the actual study would be advisable.
Look to the clandestine source of these "findings." Two in two days. What a coincidence! Big Pharma is attacking the only people they haven't been able to control and make a profit from. Why? Because Big Pharma can't patent natural remedies. The real "brass tacks" truth about this is that supplements, taken per instructions, hurt no one; zero side effects. But Big Pharma's patent medicines kill at least 116,000 Americans every year. And that is a very conservative estimate. So don't be bamboozled by their fat cat corporate PR people. They try this baloney non-stop, 24/7, all year-every year. Just remember, plenty of laws are already on the books to control any inferior supplements. The real need is to find ways to legally reduce those 116,000 deaths from Big Pharma's very dangerous patent medicines.
Now the fun begins, I regularly take Vitamin E and Selenium. You might want to talk to Dr. Stephen Sinatra, M.D. about this study. The number of variable factors in studies of this nature only shows we should have banned them before the competition banned Andro. Our medical profession has a real problem in this area and they have always known it. Maybe they should have to display warning labels like cigarettes. Those that say natural fruits, vegetables,and whatever are the answer are only partially correct, we need many inputs and sometimes our system does not have the room some items take to provide the proper dosage. I will take my krill in supplement form thank you, and yes, I prepare and devour real salmon and grapefruit, etc.
Seeing a physician is dangerous for your prostate and your health. Big pharma needs your money and wants scripts for everything.
Stay away from doctors and you will have better health.
I might have to think about this article, I been using Vitamins E for over 50 years no problems also used it for spider an insect bites even on small skin burns, I take a regiment of vitamins I very seldom sick or at the doctors of an illness, I do not received flu shots even at my age the doctor would like me to, so if there a problem with Vitamins E now is a fine time to Say it but if it not broke don't try to fix it that when the problem come in. good day
nonsense.
just another scare tactic by Big Pharma to get us to buy there bloated crap....
No where did they mention history, per-disposion, environment etc, they focused on one thing....
And its 1 study, no report can be considered fact till its replicated at other labs....again this study is crap till its replicated and confirmed by independent labs...
Eat clean (no processed crap), exercise in moderation, sleep well and finally - laugh! Stay away form prescription meds and vitamins (except maybe vitamin D3). One day your time will come and no pill is going to stop it.
The big pharms would love to see alternative supplements outlawed. I have taken Vitamin E since I was 21 - only the d-alpha-tocopherol with the other mixed tocopherols. I never take the synthetic E which was used in the tests. I have enjoyed incredible good health and no one believes I am 80. I never take flu vaccines, and my extended family and I take an herbal (home-made) tincture at the first sign of flu, colds, or sinus infection. It kills flu viruses and gets rid of sore-throat, coughing, fever, and runny noses. I used to have awful extended sinus infections because of my allergy to tumbleweeds and Chinese elm. No prescriptions help. I have had no colds or sinus infections for over 20 years now.
It's all in your head. If you could bottle that kind of placebo effect you'd be a rich man.
Loubie, you nailed it. There are several forms of E, and guess what, the SYNTHETIC (think, like DRUGS) is not as effective and possibly toxic. Well, take a wild guess which form was used in the study. MIXED tocopherols (natural Vit. E) like that found in nature, should have been used in the study. There are plenty of studies using the natural kind that are positive. But this is what Big Pharma does, selective brainwashing. THEY are what is toxic to your health.
I am also concerned that this Vit E "News" comes right on the heels of the OTHER flawed study on older women and supplements just a day or two ago. You can find (and FUND !!) a study to support just about anything. Big Pharma is gearing up!! They got their lobbyists poised in DC (District of Corruption). They have tried this before. Now they are encouraged they can get control over supps like they did in Europe. And gosh, how come MSNBC is PRINTING this drivel ?? Hmmmmm........
"The take-home message: Most Americans get the nutrients they eat from food..."
Most Americans CAN get the ESSENTIAL nutrients they eat from food. Completely different statement. You know, its nearly a super-majority (~63%) of people in this country that are overweight or obese (forget maintaining a healthy weight). They get plenty of nutrients; macro nutrients the kind with lots of calories and very few vitamin and mineral content. According to the CDC, less than 30% of Americans even eat 3 or more fruits and vegetables a day (5+ is recommended).
There is NOTHING in this article or the research provided that proves or is even related to that statement, or for that matter helpful. Robert Bazell, do some homework, write another article and prove that statement. If you can't, rewrite your final statement, or a new article with facts supporting proper statements. Just a suggestion.
Lets see here ...uhhh Vitamin E BAD ! Vitamin E Good ! No vitamin E bad. No vitamin E good.
Let's see... uhhh Coffee bad. Coffee good ! Lets see Calcium bad... ! Lets see calcium good!
Let's see tomatoes bad.. Tomatoes good !
Well just wait a day or so and all that is bad will be good of course.
Mammograms... good ! Mammograms bad ! Yep the fools in the government have started to disrespect us. And well they should. The public education system has denied us the opportunity to think independently about anything.
Sun tanning beds BAD ! Very BAD ! We need more vitamin A ? What, from the sun ? OMG this is a dream isn't it ?
Nooooo ! Oh dear I am shocked. Hahahahahahaaaaaa !
People generally take vitamin E to reduce heart attacks. Since it is an antioxidant that they also reduce some cancers. The question is how many deaths does it reduce compared to how many deaths does it cause.
Ahhh yes, another study by the same people who claimed Aspartame was safe. Aspartame of course has been proven to cause a variety of neurological disorders and cancer as well. Here is the truth people, the government is working hard to get ALL vitamins and supplements banned, the policy is called Codex Alimentarius. Their goal is to make people sick so those same people will go seek medical help. Why? Because it makes money for big pharmaceuticals. Know this, the government, and those who hold power, do not care about you or your family, all they care about is making money and the people be damned. This will get alot worse. You have been warned.
Wonderful. I was taking vitamin E for a while until I heard it was not really needed and I quit. Thank God. But, who knows what could happen down the road.
We need stricter regulations on the vitamin industry so quacks cannot falsely promote some vitamin or mineral that does nothing for you or could potentially kill you in the future.
Sheeple like you are what gives big pharma the power to manipulate the system and line thier pockets with your money. You are completely clueless about the actual study and completely clueless about vitamin E (there are 8 vitamin E's that all work differently), yet you are extremely quick to make an baseless assumption and call for even more regulation by an already bloated and corrupt FDA.
Speaking of the FDA, do you realize that there have been hundreds of proven medical treatments and procedures that have been done in europe with great success for a decade or more that never make it mainstream in the US health care system because of the red tape involved with getting something approved. It isnt the FDA that suffers, it are the thousands of patient needing specific treatments that die, or continue to live, or are forced to leave the country for health care (if they can afford it).
Looks like an attempt by the media to help the FDA regulate all vitamin supplements by prescription. The pharma industry wants the vitamin money too! Wish they would put that much effort into scaring the public about prescription meds, like remicade infusions at 1200 per pop, that has caused hundres of thousands of deaths and injuries.
Case in point of corruption: big pharma manipulating the FDA to classify pyridoxamine (a form of a B vitamin) as a drug even though it has been sold in this country as a vitamins supplement for a decade. In other words something a diabetic or health minded individual could have taken to reduce DNA crosslinking from AGEs at $0.10 a day will now be packaged as a drug, require a prescription, and be sold to diabetics for $10.00 a day.
The only reason this study would be done is to support the pharma industry....so they can charge 10 times as much.
Actually, this is a very old study, started by 2001. I believe at least one other scientific research showed large dose of vitamin E is harmful and can cause internal bleeding. The recommemeded daily value of vitamin E is 28 IU. I believe it will be beneficial if you stay close to that level. Regular intake of vitamin at RDA level will make you healthier. I will not consume high dose of any fat-soluble vitamin like vitamin E. But I can not see how this study is discrediting vitamin supplements in any way.
If you can breath it, drink it, eat it or wear it...chances are it can give you cancer. People need to stop looking over their shoulders so much. Just get on with whatever it is you do and if you get sick you get sick.
Rockstein, I'd like a $10 bill for everyone I've heard whose taken your advice and then proceeded to fall into ill health and live a short, unhappy life. With a little foresight and a decision to exercise and eat right, you can more than just survive; you can dramatically slow the aging process and extend the time you actually feel and look good by many years.
Keep in mind, the lifestyle you lived when you were young doesn't work when you hit 50 or 60: some even need to start earlier. Proactivity (getting tough with yourself and taking charge of your health) is the secret.
It's this sort of news that makes me want to just eat a good diet and pass on the pills!
How very sheeple of you.
Who's selling what here? Can't believe nothing you hear any more and only half of what you see.
Studies like this are silly because not all vitamin E's are created equal. Consider that there are 8 forms of vitamin E and they all act differently in the body, which was used in the study? Why say vitamin E is bad when it may be 'a' form of vitamin E? I am guessing they used Alpha Tocopherol which is common in cheap supplements. Unfortunately supplementing Alpha Tocopherol can actually decrease body levels of the forms of Vitamin E that are actually beneficial.
Remember kids, never take an article written about a study from a biased news source at face value. Do the research yourself. Tocotrienol or Tocopherol? Of those two were they Alpha, Beta, Gamma, or Delta? They each act completely different in the body.
Riddle, your last paragraph is excellent advice. Never, never accept at face value ANYTHING get on the internet. Especially, if it's sent by email! Never lose sight of the fact that there are more and more scams popping up every day. And they're increasing exponentially!
Another tip: Contact the site you're interested in directly by typing in the web site, not hitting the button on your email. If you do the latter, you're undoubtedly being tracked and can expect to receive a lot more nuisance spam.
This is a flawed study. There are chemical companies in Germany (Bayer & BASF) which have been producing vitamin supplements from chemicals. This particular vitamin E was synthesized from coal tar. Select should know better. There is a movement to discredit the vitamin & supplement industry because the big companies cannot make money off of them. This is similar to when a study was made to discredit beta-carotene and the supplements used were from BASF which were synthesized from acetylene gas.
Mr. Mellow,
You'll be glad to know, I think, that more sex is good for the prostate. There are existing studies on that and it was shown that more ejaculations were associated with lower rates of... now I don't remember if it was prostate cancer or enlargement (BPH) or both. Could that result be "overturned" by a new study? Yes, but in this scientist's book it takes more than one contrary study to truly overturn previous results, though it depends on the relative merits of each of the studies, too, of course.