Multi-Vitamins and Prostate Cancer: What You Need to Know
You may have read recently of a possible link between multi-vitamin use and increased risk for Prostate Cancer:. If you’re concerned about prostate cancer, it’s important to know the facts about this study, “Multivitamin use and risk of prostate cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study,” published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, May 16, 2007.
In this study, it is suggested that heavy multi-vitamin use may be linked to advanced prostate cancer.To clarify: the study finds no association between multi-vitamin use and risk of localized prostate cancer. However, the study did find an increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancers among men reporting excessive use of multivitamins (more than seven servings a week.) The positive associations with excessive multi-vitamin use were strongest in men with a family history of prostate cancer, or men who took individual micronutrient supplements, including selenium, beta carotene or zinc. These men were taking more than recommended amounts of vitamins, and more is not necessarily better when it comes to vitamins and minerals. The exact amounts of nutrients they were taking were not available from this study.
Based on current research, we do not recommend taking more than the safe dosages that are contained in our products. We recommend that you do not exceed the suggested dosage on the labels, and that you do not take more of individual nutrients without medical supervision. Be especially cautious about the trace minerals zinc and selenium. Research suggests that more than 30 mg of zinc and more than 400 mcg of selenium should be taken only with medical supervision. Stop Aging Now multi-vitamin formulas contain 20 mg of zinc and 200 mcg of Selenium.
If you have had prostate cancer, or have high PSA or a family history of prostate cancer, you may want to have an informed discussion with your doctor about what nutritional supplements to take and in what amounts.
If you know of anyone with concerns about prostate cancer, you may wish to forward this email to them.
Rest assured, as part of our ongoing commitment to the health and wellness of our readers and customers, Stop Aging Now will continue to monitor any further research on this subject.
