Thursday, February 27, 2014

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements May Not Prevent Cancer or Heart Disease

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements May Not Prevent Cancer or Heart Disease

Why you might want to rethink your daily pill-popping habit

If you take vitamins to stay healthy and stave off illnesses, there’s something you should know: There’s not a lot evidence indicating that health supplements can help ward off cancer and heart disease, according to a recent study review by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine.

MORE: Doctors Say You Should Stop Taking Multivitamins

The Task Force examined data from a 2013 study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine that looked at multivitamins and their effect on chronic diseases. Based off of these findings, the Task Force—which was not involved with the study—released a statement saying that more research is necessary to determine whether vitamin and mineral supplements really help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease.  

MORE: The Scary Truth About Vitamins

Until there’s more proof on the benefits of supplements, researchers suggest skipping pills and instead adding more nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and seafood to your diet—all of which have been associated with a lower risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. There is one exception: If you’re actually deficient in certain nutrients, you don’t need to give up supplements. Just don’t take them because you think they’ll help keep you disease-free. There’s no science to back up that claim (at least not yet).

MORE: Could Vitamins Decrease Your Life Expectancy?

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