Vitamins: Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[I am Jack]

From : http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070515/...T9DntyVl7MWM0F

WASHINGTON - There's more worrisome news about vitamins: Taking too many may increase men's risk of dying from prostate cancer.

The study, being published Wednesday, doesn't settle the issue. But it is the biggest yet to suggest high-dose multivitamins may harm the prostate, and the latest chapter in the confusing quest to tell whether taking various vitamins really helps a variety of conditions — or is a waste of money, or worse.

Government scientists turned to a study tracking the diet and health of almost 300,000 men. About a third reported taking a daily multivitamin, and 5 percent were heavy users, swallowing the pills more than seven times a week.

Within five years of the study's start, 10,241 men had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Some 1,476 had advanced cancer; 179 died.

Heavy multivitamin users were almost twice as likely to get fatal prostate cancer as men who never took the pills, concludes the study in Wednesday's Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Here's the twist: Overall, the researchers found no link between multivitamin use and early-stage prostate cancer.

The researchers speculate that perhaps high-dose vitamins had little effect until a tumor appeared, and then could spur its growth.

While similar but smaller studies have suggested a link, too, more rigorous research is needed, caution the National Cancer Institute scientists. This newest study involves men who voluntarily took vitamins, and those most at risk — perhaps because they had a family history of the disease — may have been more likely to take the pills in hopes of avoiding their fate.

Still, "the findings lend further credence to the possibility of harm associated with increased use of supplements," Dr. Christian Gluud of Copenhagen University Hospital and Dr. Goran Bjelakovic of Serbia's University of Nis wrote in an accompanying editorial.

[I am Jack]

Personally I only take 1 multivitamin a day but then I take a lot of other stuff with it like fish oil, G/C/MSM, B12, ect.

[Gator_Mclusky]

I dont follow studies anymore. They contradict each other every other day!

I eat food for my nutrients. Good post.

[Rondo]

To much of anything is bad for you.

[donjuan373]

I prefer to stick with a multi that has no more than 150% of any vitamin in it. Reliable studies have proven that side affects can occur when using some vitamins in excess, like the beloved b vitamins when taken in extreme excess causing nerve damge in long term use. Stick to healthy levels and eat whole foods, youll be fine.

[I am Jack]

Originally Posted by donjuan373

I prefer to stick with a multi that has no more than 150% of any vitamin in it. Reliable studies have proven that side affects can occur when using some vitamins in excess, like the beloved b vitamins when taken in extreme excess causing nerve damge in long term use. Stick to healthy levels and eat whole foods, youll be fine.

Really? I take a B-complex and B12. Maybe I need to reexamine that.

[donjuan373]

The study refers to levels of 4500% and above taken over the course of 7+ years. Bro if you are taking that much you are amazing. Do you have an IV drip ... lol! Don't stress its something we dicussed in my science of nutrition class and they said the levels this high would probably make you sick in the GI tract long before hand, but some people do run injections that surpass these limits and they are the ones who need to worry long term.