Multivitamins "may" Increase Prostate Cancer

[beer monkey]

Multivitamin prostate warning

Taking lots of multivitamins may increase the risk of deadly prostate cancer, say US researchers.

Their study showed taking multivitamins more than seven times a week was associated with an increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer.

There was no link with early cancer or localised prostate cancer, the researchers wrote in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Experts advised men to eat a healthy diet to reduce their risk of cancer.

The findings, based on data on nearly 300,000 men, indicated the risk of advanced prostate cancer is 32% higher in men who take multivitamins more than once a day compared with those who do not take them at all.

Risk of fatal prostate cancer was almost double.


It's still not entirely clear what factors can affect a man's risk of developing prostate cancer
Liz Baker, Cancer Research UK

The correlation was strongest for men with a family history of the disease, and who also took selenium, beta-carotene or zinc supplements.

It is unclear why the multivitamins may increase the risk of certain types of prostate cancer.

Study leader Dr Karla Lawson from the US National Cancer Institute said: "The possibility that men taking high levels of multivitamins along with other supplements have increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancers is of concern and merits further evaluation."

Because multivitamins contain so many different components and men taking a lot of them were more likely to be taking other supplements, the researchers were unable to tease out what was causing the association.

In an accompanying editorial, European researchers said a high intake of fruit and vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer.

But it is not clear which nutrients have a positive effect.

Antioxidants

There has been a lot of research into antioxidants such as vitamin C and E because it is believed they may protect cells against damage.

However, some analyses have suggested that beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E supplements may shorten life rather than extend it.

The amounts of antioxidants needed to offer any potential protection are not known and may differ between individuals.

Liz Baker, science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "It's still not entirely clear what factors can affect a man's risk of developing prostate cancer.

"And there is conflicting evidence on the pros and cons of vitamin supplements.

"These products don't seem to give us the same benefits as vitamins that naturally occur in our food.

"We encourage people wanting to reduce their risk of cancer to eat a diet rich in fibre, vegetables and fruit, and low in red and processed meat."

Georgia Diebel, a specialist nurse at the Prostate Cancer Charity said: "With all vitamins, we recommend that men do not exceed the daily recommended dose stated on the bottle.

"People often think of them as something 'natural' and do not understand that they still have to be metabolised and used by the body - a study like this suggests they are not safe in larger quantities."

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. It kills one man every hour in the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6657795.stm

[Doc]

With all these health warnings - I do believe that I shall continue shamelessly with my diet of Tiger Beer and the ocassional shot of Jack Daniels.

[tawan3]

Yesterday's health warning milk, cheese and ice cream may cause brain tumors.

[beer monkey]

all mixed together and eaten at the same time may well do,Ohh and throw in Docs bottle of beer and the shot of JD to be certain.

[Ricohoc]

With all of the good stuff being bad, I just as soon do what I want to do ...

[Fred C. Dobbs]

Reality check
--------------------------------------------

When it comes to reporting on alternative health care, the mainstream media acts like an excitable child who jumps whenever someone says, "Boo!" Every little breeze sends them into Chicken Little mode, running in circles and shrieking hysterically.

Contrary to reports, however, the sky is not falling.

The NCI study compared supplement use and health records for more than 295,000 men over the course of five years. The average age of the cohort was 62. Results showed no link between localized prostate cancer and the use of multivitamins or individual vitamin supplements. But results DID suggest a link between advanced prostate cancer among men who reported "excessive use of multivitamins (more than seven times per week)" when compared to men who took no multivitamins at all.

In the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the authors of the study wrote that this link "is of concern and merits further evaluation."

That fairly mild comment opened a gusher of media hype. The Associated Press headline told it like it wasn't: "Study: Vitamins Tied to Prostate Cancer." And CBS went with a similar half-truth: "Study Links Vitamin Use, Prostate Cancer." Other media outlets followed along the same lines.

For those who cared to dig a little, it turns out that the advanced prostate cancer link was strongest among subjects with a family history of prostate cancer. Gee...y'think? And kudos to Stephen Daniells, reporting for NutraIngredients, who included this insightful quote from Daniel Fabricant of the Natural Products Association: "Considering what a strong factor family risk is for all cancers, prostate cancer may also increase in men who have a family history of breast cancer. Other potential risk factors of this nature were not accounted for in the study."

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The key message...missed
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Here's the finer point about multivitamins that the study and the media reports all missed: The wrong type of multivitamin, taken in excess, just might turn a slow-growing prostate cancer into a more aggressive cancer.

In previous e-Alerts I've shared a warning from HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., who notes that many brands of multivitamins contain inorganic iron. Here's what Dr. Spreen had to say on the topic, specifically in reference to the NCI study...

"It's very interesting that multivitamins were singled out in terms of 'excessive use'. It's well known that today's '100% RDA' multi-vits are dangerous in terms of the amount of iron they contain (especially for men, whose periods tend to be lighter than women's). The standard 18 milligrams is way too high, and taking them in excess to get more of the other vitamins and minerals is not safe, due to the fact that the iron used is inorganic and not ingested attached to a heme ring like the iron in our blood.

"Iron is a HUGE free radical generator - which is exactly the stress a guy doesn't need while trying to fight other nasty little cells in the body."

Supplement makers seem to be catching on to the iron problem. More and more these days you'll see multivitamin brands that carry a "No Iron" note on the label.

You can read more about the NCI study in Michele Cagan's HSI On the Spot blog which can be found at this link: http://www.hsibaltimore.com/redir/blog.html. Look for the 5/16/07 entry titled "Let the Supplement Bashing Begin."

[arjay]

Quotes from the above article:

"It's very interesting that multivitamins were singled out in terms of 'excessive use'. It's well known that today's '100% RDA' multi-vits are dangerous in terms of the amount of iron they contain (especially for men, whose periods tend to be lighter than women's).

Did I read that correctly: "especially for men, whose periods tend to be lighter than women's"?

Here's what Dr. Spreen had to say on the topic

Are you sure it wasn't Dr Spleen??

On a more serious note, I would agree that it's sensible to keep within RDA's. Also, a number of people I know, including myself, take "Fish Oils" which are rich in Omega 3.

[Dakoda]

99.9% of doctors know nothing about vitamins. Fish oil is vitamin E. Sea Salt has things (good things) in it, you can't get anywhere else and you (or I) can't find any Sea Salt in Udon. Seen something that looks like it that comes with peanuts, but who knows what it is.

[aznyron]

just friendly note Doctors do not make money on healthy people there money is made on the sick & elderly as well as hypcondriacts excuse my spelling been out of school a long time LOL as for vit. supplements it is very wise to take them since they do help in keeping you healthy I am not talking about Doctors in Thailand I am referring to USA Doctors who make appointments for 15 people all at the same time and we go like fools and wait on another note medicare does not cover you outside the USA

[Ba Bob]

Multivitamin prostate warning

Taking lots of multivitamins may increase the risk of deadly prostate cancer, say US researchers.

Their study showed taking multivitamins more than seven times a week was associated with an increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer.

Are they not made to take once a day?? why would you take more than 7 in a week?? what size vitamins ? What type? They state multivitamins then go onto talk about taking all these other vits? Do they take into account that most ppl who take lots of vitamins ussually do because they have been sick or have a tendancy to be or hereditary pre condition? dont you just love these studies??