In the News: Vitamins and Minerals for Disease Prevention

A recent study of nearly 15,000 men aged 50 years or older found that taking a daily multivitamin resulted in a modest reduction (8 percent) in the risk of developing cancer, compared with placebo. The authors of the study concluded that these findings provide support for the potential use of multivitamin supplements in the prevention of cancer in middle-aged and older men. The study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Millions of Americans take multivitamin/mineral supplements for various reasons, including for an increase in nutrient intakes, health promotion, and chronic disease prevention. While there is a lot of evidence that supplements help in preventing and treating nutrient deficiency, there has been much less evidence about their usefulness in preventing or treating other diseases.

Reference

• Gaziano JM, Sesso HD, Christen WG, et al. Multivitamins in the prevention of cancer in men: The Physicians’ Health Study II Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. October 17, 2012.