Vitamins Could Shorten Lifespan
Posted On Friday, November 23, 2007 at at 9:28 PM by Aishah Abd Latiff
According to UK media reports on 28 February, the study published in the journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that three types of supplements - vitamins A, E and beta-carotene-could increase the risk of early death. Research shows that vitamin supplements are a waste of money.
The British Heart Foundation recommends a good balanced diet over taking vitamin supplements.The Copenhagen University Hospital research team analyzed a lot of information. The analysis method is developed by Cochrane Collaboration, a renowned organization that specializes in medical analysis.
Vitamin supplement supporters believe that vitamins can act as antioxidants to prevent the damaging oxidizing effects of cholesterol etc on health, thereby helping heart disease and cancer prevention. This theory seems to make sense and is supported by initial tests. However, later tests reveal different results.The Copenhagen research team selected 68 randomized trials with 232,606 participants, including 47 low-bias trials with 180,938 participants.
They discovered that taking vitamin supplements, on the whole, increased death risk by 5%. Beta-carotene produced an approximate 7% increase risk, vitamin A, a 16% increase and vitamin E, a 4% increase. The risk of death was unchanged among vitamin C users. Certain trials showed that selenium, singly or combined with other vitamins, might lower death risk by 10%.
There is no evidence that vitamin C may increase longevity. We lack evidence to refute a potential negative effect of vitamin C on survival. Selenium tended to reduce mortality, but we need more research on this question, "stated Dr. Goran Bjelakovic, leader of the research team. In addition, beta-carotene might increase the risk of lung cancer among smokers.
