The article, which reports the results of a huge, long-term study, is a further caution against taking high dose vitamin supplements.
There have been many attempts over the years to recreate, or boost, the protective effects of eating a healthy, balanced diet, with vitamin and nutrient supplements. However, in most cases, the trials have come out negative, or worse, have shown that supplements can makes things worse.
The current study reported on Medscape, known as SELECT, showed that instead of protecting men from prostate cancer, selenium and vitamin E supplements actually increased men’s risk. This was particularly the case if the men were already getting enough vitamin E and selenium in their diet prior to the study.
In a press statement, the leader of the study, Alan Kristal, said:
Men using these supplements should stop, period. Neither selenium nor vitamin E supplementation confer any known [health] benefits — only risks,Many people think that dietary supplements are helpful or at the least innocuous.
This is not true”
The study’s results are also discussed in a video on Medscape.
The same results are also reported on numerous medical and news websites, such as WebMD andThe Guardian.