London: Vitamin supplements do nothing to stave off illness and could even lead to cancer, a leading expert has warned.
Professor Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser for the World Cancer Research Fund, has pointed out that people who regularly take vitamin and mineral supplements instead of eating a balanced diet are at greater risk.
“Many people think they can reduce their cancer risk by taking supplements, but the evidence does not support this,” the Daily Express quoted Wiseman as saying.
“Just because a dietary pattern that provides a relatively high level of a particular nutrient might protect against cancer, it does not mean that taking it in tablet form will have the same effect.
“In fact, at high doses the effect of these micronutrients is unpredictable and can be harmful to health,” Wiseman added.
Research suggests that vitamins A and E can actually cause illness.
Speaking about the effect of vitamin overdose, Wiseman said: “Some people may be doing themselves more harm than good.
“There are studies that show high doses of some supplements can increase risk of some cancers.
“There is convincing evidence that taking beta-carotene supplements actually increases the risk of lung cancer in current smokers.
“The evidence about the difficulty in predicting the effect of high-dose supplements is getting stronger all the time.
“For example, in 2007 we concluded that taking selenium supplements probably reduces risk of prostate cancer.”
“But a recent study unexpectedly found no evidence that it reduces risk, so my personal interpretation would be that the jury is still out on this,” Wiseman added.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.