Posted on 04/15/2008 8:34:19 PM PDT by blam
Vitamin pills 'increase risk of early death'
By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 16/04/2008
Popular vitamin supplements taken by millions of people in the hope of improving their health may do no good and could increase the risk of a premature death, researchers report today.
They warn healthy people who take antioxidant supplements, including vitamins A and E, to try to keep diseases such as cancer at bay that they are interfering with their natural body defences and may be increasing their risk of an early death by up to 16 per cent.
Antioxidants, including vitamins A, E, and C are said to mop up free radicals, which cause disease
Researchers at Copenhagen University carried out a review of 67 studies on 230,000 healthy people and found "no convincing evidence" that any of the antioxidants helped to prolong life expectancy. But some "increased mortality".
About 12 million Britons supplement their diets with vitamins and the industry is worth £330 million. But little research has been done on the long-term health implications.
The Department of Health said yesterday that people should try to get the vitamins they need by eating a balanced diet and advised care in taking large doses of supplements.
A spokesman said: "There is a need to exercise caution in the use of high doses of purified supplements of vitamins, including antioxidant vitamins, and minerals. Their impact on long-term health may not have been fully established and they cannot be assumed to be without risk.
"Anyone concerned about their diet should speak to their doctor or dietitian."
Antioxidants, including vitamins A, E, C and beta-carotene and selenium, are said to mop up compounds, called free radicals, which cause disease. It is this action that researchers believe may cause problems with the defence system.
The Danish research, released by the influential Cochrane Library, applied only to synthetic supplements and not to vitamins that occur naturally in vegetables and fruit.
It found that vitamin A supplements increased the risk of death in healthy people by 16 per cent. Taking beta-carotene was linked to a 7 per cent increased risk, while regular users of vitamin E supplements increased the risk of an early death by four per cent.
Although the review found no significant detrimental effect caused by vitamin C, it found no evidence that it helped ward off disease. Millions take it in the hope of avoiding a common cold.
Goran Bjelakovic, who led the review, said: "We could find no evidence to support taking antioxidant supplements to reduce the risk of dying earlier in healthy people or patients with various diseases.
"If anything, people in trial groups given the antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E showed increased rates of mortality."
But Patrick Holford, a nutritionist who has formulated supplements for the company Biocare, said: "Antioxidants are not meant to be magic bullets and should not be expected to undo a lifetime of unhealthy habits.
"When used properly, in combination with a healthy diet full of fruit and vegetables, getting plenty of exercise and not smoking, antioxidant supplements can play an important role in maintaining and promoting overall health."
A spokesman for the Health Supplements Information Service said: "People should get all the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet, but for the millions who are not able to do that, vitamins can be a useful supplement and they should not stop taking them."
However, Catherine Collins, of the British Dietetic Association, said: "This study is deeply worrying and shows that there should be more regulation for vitamins and minerals.
"The public can buy vitamins as easily as sweets. They should be treated in the same way as paracetamol with maximum limits on the dosage."
It seems to me that you opened your mouth and swallowed the ICR whole.
Well, there is that.
LOL
Or will we next be told that God foreordains the sins of the reprobate?
If and when you get around to reading the Institutes to see what Calvin actually wrote and why, please ping me so we can discuss our differences.
Until then, all you have is a chip on your shoulder and no discernible support for your beliefs.
Who created human nature?
Please do not violate the rules by making this personal.
If and when I do, I'll let you know.
I have not read Dianetics either, but I know that Scientology is false.
I have not read the book of Mormon, but I know that Mormonism is false.
This is not proof there are no such parts, only that you cannot find them.
Have you ever actually read Scripture?
Have you ever actually read Scripture?
You’ve really jumped the shark here by claiming that God’s will is for men to sin.
Sorry, that is just so bizarre and flat out contradicts about 10,000 scripture verses. It really shows how much this theology has warped your thinking.
That’s funny!
A Catholic asking a Calvinist such.
This is so theology 101. Dr. E did not claim any such thing. God has provided a way for fallen mankind not to sin, and that is the story of Christianity. Circular arguments are tiring, which is why now I have to go wash another dog
“However, Catherine Collins, of the British Dietetic Association, said: “This study is deeply worrying and shows that there should be more regulation for vitamins and minerals.
“The public can buy vitamins as easily as sweets. They should be treated in the same way as paracetamol with maximum limits on the dosage.”
I just called in my prescription for bottled water.
That's what the word of God tells us. Ultimately, this apparent paradox is a mystery to men, but that doesn't mean it's not true or that God doesn't want us to understand this reality as much as possible.
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed." -- 1 Peter 2:7-8
"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10"Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
Or read Arthur Pink's tremendous book, "The Sovereignty of God."
You're missing a profoundly comforting truth God provides us with in His holy word -- that He has loved His family from before the foundation of the world and that they belong to Him not because they loved Him, but because He loved them first.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." -- John 6:37-40"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Interesting. Well, I know for a fact Dianetics and the book of Mormon are false because I have read them and found out for myself exactly where they err.
If you haven't read them, how and why do you think they are false?
Yes please go wash some dogs, since you don’t seem to be able to comment on what was actually posted.
And that really is "the problem" with most of these false doctrines. Their adherents build these huge, edifices on a few misinterpreted verses, and doggedly ignore the whole of scripture.
Hi, GC. Meant to ping you to Pink, too.
I note that you did not answer the question, and instead took some kind of swipe at Catholics.
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