Politics | 12/31/2008 10:00 am

Vitamins Not Preventing Cancer in Women, Says Study

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Vitamins aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. A recent study shows that vitamins C and E do little or nothing to prevent cancer in women. Between the years 1995 and 1996 until 2005, a group of 8,171 women over 40 were given a combination of vitamins and placebos to determine whether or not the supplements had any effect against cancer. They didn’t:

The supplements were vitamin C (500 milligrams a day), vitamin E (600 International Units every other day) and beta carotene (50 milligrams every other day).

The women, all over the age of 40, took part in the study from 1995 and 1996 until 2005, for an average of nine years. They all had cardiovascular disease or were at risk for it.

A total of 624 of the women developed cancer, and 176 died from it during the period of the study. The researchers didn’t find any "statistically significant" evidence that the supplements either helped or hurt a woman’s risk of developing cancer.

Despite these findings, which were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers insist further studies need to be done. They also hypothesize that previous studies about the effectiveness of vitamins may have shown they prevent cancer because subjects were malnourished. Thus, a healthy diet of foods rich in antioxidants — like fruits and vegetables — can still help prevent cancer.

There’s also another caveat: All of the women in the aforementioned study either suffered from cardiovascular disease or were at risk. Women who are not at risk may find vitamins more beneficial. What’s more, vitamin E may help specifically prevent colon cancer, which is a seriously aggressive breed of the baddie.

So, while it may be tempting to toss your bottles, it doesn’t hurt to keep popping pills. You know, just in case …

Read more about: Cancer, News, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, women

26 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Vitamins were intended as a supplement for those minerals that were lacking due to diet. They were never intended as a cure all for cancer or other diseases. It goes to show, that if a proper diet is in place, plenty of fruits, vegatables, seeds and grains, along with exercise and a positive outlook, you’re diet of such, should be sufficent. We live in a world that is polluted with many toxins, and diseases arise from those factors as well. therefore, one must do all they can with a healthy diet,exercise and mindset in an attempt to ward of those possibilities.

By HA BIBI on 12/31/2008 9:25 am

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I like that you add mindset Elaine, I really believe that your thoughts have a lot to do with you health, maybe not for everything but in getting a good start towards a better, stronger life.

By Sandbee (FB) 54 on 12/31/2008 11:58 am

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Yep Sandbee, The mindset is more important than anything in preventative medicine. It’s a proven fact that stress causes the majority of serious health related issues, especially among women and their vascular and digestive systems. The adage I live by is, you do all you can, then let go and let God, gauranteed to work everytime! Happy new Year to you! :)

By HA BIBI on 12/31/2008 1:27 pm

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HAPPY NEW YEAR to you too !!!

By Sandbee (FB) 54 on 12/31/2008 1:43 pm

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Indeed, the only “cure” is the preventative medicine of a wholesome diet, exercise, etc. I knew I liked you. ;-)

By Kryssi K on 12/31/2008 4:42 pm

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I love you too! Happy New Year! :)

By HA BIBI on 12/31/2008 5:08 pm

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elaine has it right about diet being the proper source of our nutrients. vitamin pills fill in the blanks in our diets.

By mary lou s on 12/31/2008 10:53 am

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Vitamin D, however, is another matter. Deficiency of D has been linked to many cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and autoimmunity disease. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=cell-defenses-and-the-sunshine-vitam…

By Elizabeth Bennett on 12/31/2008 11:02 am

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Indeed, Elizabeth - It is crucial for calcium absorption, and teamed with fiber keeps the liver healthy. Few people realize that after our food is metabolized (digested) in the small intestine it is “sent” to the liver to clean it up and that’s where we overload our poor liver. Without a healthy colon, we will have just about anything one can imagine, including hypertension (but, of course - that’s simple physics [no pun intended]). Everyone should purchase A. Simopoulous MD book, The Omega Diet, (she’s at NIH) from Amazon - it’s the truth about the diet on Cypress. (Tip: don’t buy the recorded version because the recipes are not in it). I always give many away for gifts, and first purchased it when it debuted in 1998. As I published and taught my “mothers” ‘don’t eat anything in a bag, box, bottle or can!’ “Scarf” those veggies, grains, nuts, and fruits.

By C jay on 01/04/2009 4:14 pm

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opps - forgot to included in “… in the small intestine it is “sent” to the liver … ” and then to the colon …

By C jay on 01/04/2009 4:31 pm

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In the early 90s I wrote a grant for a San Francisco college to build a new fitness center. Since they have a high re-rentry population of ‘older’ minority women [meaning out of the age-range of typical coeds], and some outlying areas of San Francisco are epicenters for breast cancer, I slanted the grant to women’s health & prevention. It was successfully funded [while I was the main researcher/writer it was a team effort with a number of Phds]. What study upon study showed was that exercise/optimal nutrition prevents or helps heal 80% of cancers. And I also know that high quality green based powdered vitamins, or powdered calcium are best because they are absorbed into your systems more thoroughly than pill-form vitamins. So thinking a handful of supplements will take the place of exercise/nutrition is a folly, but there are some that do help. Something that most don’t realize too, is that infections and/or too acidic diets are sources of disease. And diets with lots of processed/sugary/and white foods feed infections. What you need: Hair: Amino Acids cystine, methionine, cysteine: chicken, turkey, beef, egs, chees, nuts. A 3.5 oz of meat, an egg, a handful of nuts are a portion and best to get organic if can. Bones: Need boron: Grapes, pears, apples, peas, broccoli, peanuts, raisins. Breasts: Need Indole-3-Carbinol: 1/2c cooked, 1 c raw: Broccoli, kale, cabbage, turnips…significently reduced rate of breast cancer in populations that consume these. Vagina: Need acidophilus: Yogurt, plain organic mixed with fruit like pineapple and almonds or walnuts is best. Nails: Biotin: Eggs, fish, milk, cheese, whole-grain cereals, cabbage and potatoes. [always try to go for organic potatoes they have some of the most concentrated levels of pesticides, etc.] A baked potatoe with a big scoop of cottage cheese and chopped green onions on top is a very good, nutritious, inexpensive meal. Wash scallions really well they are one of the veggies most prone to give food poisoning w/o proper washing. Eyes: beta-carotene. Carrots, sweet potatoes/yams [one of the ‘super foods’] broccoli. Teeth and gums: Calcium. 6oz of almonds, 2-cups of white beans, or 8-oz of milk=1/3 daily requirement. Heart: Omega-3. Salmon, mackerel, sardines. Joints: Copper. Peanuts, steamed clams, seafood, nuts and seeds. Skin: Vitamin C. Cherries, grapefruit, papaya…I love OJ which isn’t great ovetime for teeth if drink as much as I do…so a dentist said eat yogurt after drinking OJ to balance the acid. Ears: Zinc: Zine rich foods include oysters, chicken, beef, lamb.

By Ann Coulter Crazy, Souless, Evil B*tch on 12/31/2008 4:26 pm

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Thank you for this informative list - I trust it partly because the over-hyped, dangerous SOY was excluded.

By Kryssi K on 12/31/2008 4:45 pm

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Kryssi, I quit soy as a result of your post…..today my Dad sent me an email re not eating any meat other than organic because of MRSA: “The article quoted a rather scary statistic, MRSA infection kills more Americans each year than does the HIV infection. Europe and South Korea have banned the use of antibotics in animals as a pro forma occurence, it can now be administered when a vet states the animal must have an antibotic. Six months ago, the FDA stated that the United States would also ban the use of antibotics as part of the animal feed. Then without hearings, the FDA rescinded the order. It is estimated that the use of these antibotics, included in animal feed, adds 5 to 10 billion dollars per year to the expenditures in health care. The drug companies make a fortune on these drugs. So we will continue killing Americans so that the drug companies will not lose this source of income.” I’m already mostly a vegan although do fall off the wagon from time to time. And wrote this piece about being vegan… the impact of meat production to the environment is incredible: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-1-Way-To-Save-The-Planet-And-Become-Health… Very Happy New Year…hope you don’t have to work!

By Ann Coulter Crazy, Souless, Evil B*tch on 12/31/2008 5:16 pm

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most people already have the MRSA bacteria on their bodies, but do not have the infection active because their immune system is active and healthy. as an RN, i am exposed to MRSA, C-DIFF, ECOLI, etc on a daily basis and there is no way around it for me. i constantly wash my hands, wear gloves, do not touch my face, take off my work shoes before i come in the house, remove my work clothes and wash them separately from regular clothing, i eat an organic, gluten free diet, i take natural, organic, gluten free supplements, i do stress relieving exercises, and i uses therapeutic grade essential oils to kill the viruses and bacteria i come into contact with (at home and work). the essential oils actually DO kill the germs effectively without mutating any bacteria and causing resistant strains. i swear by the essential oils. i use them for cooking, environmentally in a diffuser or spray form, i use them topically on my skin (diluted in a carrier oil), and some i even digest (inside a capsule) to enhance immune function. but, you cannot do this with just any essential oil you find at the store. i use therapeutic grade, organic, essential oils. amazing what can be done.

By leigh ann on 01/01/2009 10:12 am

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“Moderation in all things, including moderation (Dr. R. L. Bruno ~ the top expert in post-polio research).” That being said, soy is indeed not only “hyped” but dangerous at times for any woman who has someone in her lineage that had Estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer; they must not resort to consuming soy - it’s a phytoestrogen! Secondly, our supplements now are laced with unknowns, many from China as “fillers,” etc. I recently found out why I was experiencing a “buzz” every AM, which wore off by about 1 PM; not like me. This has gone on for about 2 years. No caffeine, no additives that I knew about, and my tests (including another colonoscopy!!), were all “normal.” Alas, an MD who knows me well and believed me suggested I see a nutritionist. Lo and behold, long story, but a stop with a friend’s chiropractor first pulled back one layer, which did lead to a nutritionist… suspected was “one of your supplements… ” They found which one: the one-a-day was the culprit. Once off that thing, my symptoms stopped. Thus, if you take a vitamin and think it gives you a lot of energy, stop taking the thing! They suspected something added to it that sounds like “dong hay” or similar. Each of us has our own tolerance levels and I do not tolerate additives well, at all! They did some more tests, and I should know what it is, soon, but like Aspartame (did you see the cable news film “Sweet Misery”?), and MSG (which nearly kills me!, FDA refuses to budge - the payola’s far too great. I raised my large family on Adele Davis, and now our lives are an expanded version, improved. It’s amazing that “the kids” have carried that over into their own new families, including natural birth and family-centered maternal and child care. I was a pioneer in that movement.

By C jay on 01/04/2009 4:29 pm