Vitamin supplements may increase risk of death

[Progress]

Vitamin supplements may increase risk of death

Vitamin supplements taken by millions of people do not increase life expectancy and may raise the risk of a premature death , according to a review of 67 studies with more than 230,000 subjects.

The review, by the Cochrane Collaboration which regularly pools data from trials to evaluate drugs and treatments, found supplements vitamin A, vitamin E and beta-carotene are detrimental to health. In 47 trials with 180,938 people and a low risk of bias, the "antioxidant supplements significantly increased mortality", the authors wrote. When the antioxidants were assessed separately and low risk of bias trials were included and selenium excluded, vitamin A was linked to a 16% increased risk of dying, beta-carotene to a 7% increased risk and vitamin E to a 4% increased risk.

Evidence for vitamin C and selenium was more equivocal, suggesting there was no benefit to taking these pills compared with a placebo.

"The bottom line is current evidence does not support the use of antioxidant supplements in the general healthy population or in patients with certain diseases," said Goran Bjelakovic, who performed the review at Copenhagen Universityhospital in Denmark. "There was no indication that vitamin C and selenium may have positive or negative effects. So regarding these we need more data from randomised trials."

All the supplements are categorised as antioxidants; research has suggested these chemicals underlie some of the beneficial effects of eating fruit and vegetables because they soak up harmful byproducts of metabolism which can damage cells and cause aging.

While the evidence of a beneficial effect of a diet rich in fruit and veg is solid, the Cochrane data suggest antioxidant supplements are either useless or detrimental.

Bjelakovic's team evaluated 67 randomised clinical trials with 232,550 subjects; 21 of the trials were on healthy subjects, while the rest tested patients with a range of diseases. The evidence suggests it would be safer to obtain the chemicals not as supplements but by eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/20...edicalresearch

[Tikiman]

Once again, people in these trials are taking about six times the amount any sane person would take on a given day. Enjoy everything in moderation, pretty much the universal rule of life.

[WORLD]

So will breathing our city air.

What can ya do. I guess we'll never truly know the effects of what we put in our bodies every day.

[CleverName]

I'm glad you posted this article; I almost forgot to take my multi again!

[WBBIRL]

Quad riding can result in serious injury, but 99% of the time just serious fun!

[markdk86]

Who gives a ****? Cell phones will kill us. Beer will kill us. Creatine will kill us. Every-time you masturbate God kills a kitten! OH NOES!

We aren't meant to be living so damn long anyway. Enjoy life.

[ncsuLuke]

increase risk of death? is it just me or doesnt everyone die at some point? this study is awful.

[McVein]

Risk of death is probably the broadest statement ive ever heard.

[bjohnso]

increase risk of death? is it just me or doesnt everyone die at some point? this study is awful.

Word. This article has been posted here before. It reads like a 6th grader wrote it. I would love to know what these people died from.

[biglift]

yeah right.....and pumps in the gym reduce your life span by 10%

[LayLowIzSick]

wow.. thats crazy doubt they kill ya though

[Dkalban]

I have to agree with all of you. They are most likely taking more than needed. I take two because im so underweight (one of the reasons im bodybuilding) and it looks like the people taking the suppliments in vast amounts concentrated on three vitamins, either of which is bad news

[Rusty]

Increased risk of mortality? I'm no rocket scientist but I'm pretty sure we all die.

[Runty]

So what you're saying is that taking my mutli will give me a 115% chance of death? Scary stuff gentlemen, very scary stuff.

[hardgainer169]

"increased risk of death"

ha ha ha

can't really get much higher than 100% risk.

I think...

[Hatred]

Hmm.
Everything kills you; so pick your poison.