Why those vitamin supplements are not always good

Vitamin supplements can increase death rate, say researchers.

25 February, 2008

Taking vitamin supplements regularly as an alternative to healthy foods like fresh vegetables and fruits could do you harm over a period of time. The warning comes from researchers in Europe.

The researchers combined results of a number of clinical trials to estimate the overall effects of vitamin pills. They analysed 47 low-bias trials, involving 180,938 people and found that vitamin supplements as a whole increased their death rate by 5%.

The combined research, led by Goran Bjelakovic, lead researcher at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, also found that, of all the vitamin supplements, Vitamin A, Vitamin E and beta carotene were found to be contributing most to the mortality rate.

According to Goran Bjelakovic, the study contradicted earlier studies which claimed that antioxidants (commonly found in Vitamin supplements) improved health.

The research at Copenhagen University Hospital revealed that, while separate intakes of beta-carotene increased the mortality rates by 7%, the mortality rates went up by 16 % when Vitamin A was taken separately and by 4% in the case of Vitamin E.

It was found that selenium raised the mortality rate by as much as 10% when given on its own or as supplements.

The study also brought to light the fact that consuming vitamin supplements in order to prevent cancer does not only do any good but also could cause positive harm since the intake of supplements like beta-carotene can result in increased risk of developing cancer, especially lung cancer in smokers.

However, the researchers do say that some vitamin supplements might be good for some specific group of people, but cautioned that those vitamin supplements should be taken only after seeking proper guidance from their doctor.