Taking
multi-vitamin pills 'does nothing for our health'
Research
shows vitamin takers are just as likely to develop cancer or heart disease as
those who take no tablets
They
are a daily essential for millions of peoples hoping to ward off ill-health.
But
despite the millions of pounds spent on vitamin pills, they do nothing for our
health, according to a major study.
Researchers
spent more than six years following 8,000 people and found that those taking
supplements were just as likely to have developed cancer or heart disease
as those who took an identical-looking dummy pill.
And
when they were questioned on how healthy they felt, there was hardly any
difference between the two groups.
Experts
said the study – one of the most extensive carried out into vitamin pills –
suggested that millions of consumers may be wasting their money on
supplements.
Many
users fall into the category of the ‘worried well’ – healthy adults who
believe the pills will insure them against deadly illnesses –
according to Catherine Collins, chief dietician at St George’s
Hospital in London.
She
said: ‘It’s the worried well who are taking these pills to try and protect
themselves against Alzheimer’s disease, heart attacks and strokes.
But
they are wasting their money. This was a large study following
people up for a long period of time assessing everything from their mobility
and blood pressure to whether they were happy or felt pain.
Multi-vitamin
supplements have become increasingly popular as a quick and easy way of topping
up the body’s nutrient levels.
But
a series of studies have indicated that, for some people, they could actually
be harmful.
Two
studies published last year suggested supplements could raise the risk of
cancer.
But
they are wasting their money. This was a large study following
people up for a long period of time assessing everything from their mobility
and blood pressure to whether they were happy or felt pain.’
Multi-vitamin
supplements have become increasingly popular as a quick and easy way of topping
up the body’s nutrient levels.
But
a series of studies have indicated that, for some people, they could actually
be harmful.
Two
studies published last year suggested supplements could raise the risk of
cancer.
One
found pills containing vitamin E, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, selenium and
zinc increased the risk of malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin
cancer, four-fold.
The
other discovered women on a daily multi-vitamin pill increased their risk of
breast cancer by up to 20 per cent.
While
the evidence that vitamins can do harm is still limited, the latest study seems
to confirm that many people are at the very least taking them unnecessarily.
A
team of French researchers, led by experts at Nancy University, tracked
8,112 volunteers who took either a placebo capsule, or one containing
vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc, every day for
just over six years.
They
assessed the state of their health at the beginning and end of the trial,
taking a quality of life survey designed to measure everything from mobility
and pain to vitality and mental health.
When
researchers analysed how many in each group had gone on to develop serious
illnesses over the years, they found little difference.
In
the supplement group, 30.5 per cent of patients had suffered a major health
‘event’, such as cancer or heart disease.
In
the placebo group, the rate was 30.4 per cent.
There
were 120 cases of cancer in those taking vitamins, compared to 139 in the
placebo group, and 65 heart disease cases, against 57 among the
dummy pill users.
In
a report on their findings, published in the International Journal of
Epidemiology, the researchers said: ‘The perception that supplementation
improves general well-being is not supported by this trial.
Miss
Collins said the results of the study ‘reinforce the idea that if you’re
worried about your health and start taking multi-vitamins, you will still be
worried about it six years later’.
But
the Health Supplements Information Service, which is funded by supplements
manufacturers, said the finding that vitamins had no impact on how people
perceived their health was ‘to be expected’.
Spokeswoman
Dr Carrie Ruxton said: ‘The role of vitamin supplements is to prevent
deficiencies and make sure people are receiving their recommended levels.
‘They
won’t have a measurable impact on how you feel on a day-to-day basis but
what they are doing is topping up your recommended levels to the right
amount. They are not meant to be a magic bullet.
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