Now for something to totally confuse you

[packman]

Dietary supplements, such as over-the-counter multivitamins, do “more harm than good” and can increase the risk of developing cancer and heart disease, according to research in the US.

The study by the University of Colorado, which reviewed several trials involving thousands of patients over a decade, showed that those who took extra vitamins and minerals were more likely to have health problems.

Taking more than the recommended dosage beta carotene – a supplement advertised as a boost to the immune system – was found to increase the risk of developing lung cancer and heart disease by up to 20%, according to the university.

The review also noted that a trial involving a folic acid supplement, which is thought to reduce precancerous polyps in the colon, actually increased the number of polyps among users compared with those who received a placebo.

Prof Tim Byers, associate director for cancer prevention at the university’s cancer centre, said: “We have discovered that taking extra vitamins and minerals do more harm than good. We found that the supplements were actually not beneficial for their health. In fact, some people actually got more cancer while on the vitamins.” He presented the findings to the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research at the weekend.

The research raises serious questions about the efficacy of the dietary supplement market, which is worth almost £400m in Britain, according to research in 2012. Products sold frequently involve several times more than the recommended daily dosages of the vitamins and minerals involved"

As for me, I'm sticking to my two cups of coffee each day (not following cardiologist's advice) and buttering my toast with REAL butter.


http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/21/vitamin-supplements-increase-risk-cancer-heart-disease-research

[niyad]

1. who funded the study?

[rurallib]

2. always, always the first question that should be asked.

[niyad]

3. especially as I remember when there was a movement to have supplements regulated so

that one would have to have a prescription to get them, and, apparently, not even be able to grow some of the herbs and things at home.

[HereSince1628]

4. Taking the daily aspirin to reduce vascular inflammation?

[bemildred]

5. Dosage is everything.

Doesn't matter what the drug is, you have to take the right amount.

[underahedgerow]

6. The common theme seems to be to replace food with "a pill", those huge daily multivitamins

in particular. This makes no sense if you are eating moderately and sensibly and getting your nutrition from the food you eat, and make good meal choices. There are always options!

I can see the sense in the occasional supplement, such as iron, B1, B2 and magensium and fish oil capsules, in particular for women going through menopause. Fish oil makes a HUGE difference for menopause as it alleviates constipation and bloating.

It's a huge industry, this vitamin thing and massively profitable. But do we need them? Nope. And I can see it as a scam.

I like my coffee, whole milk, butter, salt and sugar thank you! I also like my veg and meat, and I eat what my body asks for, although sometimes the cupcakes speak louder than I'd like them to! But at the end of the day, eat unprocessed foods made from scratch, nothing out of a can; fresh frozen veg is awesome for single cookers and much, much better than prefabricated crap.

I know we worry about what our kids eat, and they go through phases of eating one single food all the time, but at the end of the day if we put good food choices in front of our kids, they'll eat what they need to and will most likely survive without putting those chalky kids vitamins in 'em!

[randome]

8. Except for garbonzo beans. Those are good out of a can.

But I agree with everything you said. Eat sensibly, listen to your body and practice self-control.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]The truth doesn’t always set you free.
Sometimes it builds a bigger cage around the one you’re already in.[/center][/font][hr]

[RebelOne]

7. I used to suffer with leg cramps every night.

Then I read a suggestion on DU that Vitamin E would stop them. I take two Vitamin E capsules before going to bed and now no more leg cramps.