Thursday, April 17, 2008

Vitamins 'may shorten your life'


Research has suggested certain vitamin supplements do not extend life and could even lead to a premature death.


A review of 67 studies found "no convincing evidence" that antioxidant supplements cut the risk of dying.

Scientists at Copenhagen University said vitamins A and E could interfere with the body's natural defences.

"Even more, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E seem to increase mortality," according to the review by the respected Cochrane Collaboration.

The research involved selecting various studies from 817 on beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium which the team felt were the most likely to fairly reflect the impact of the supplements on reducing mortality.

It has been thought that these supplements may be able to prevent damage to the body's tissues called "oxidative stress" by eliminating the molecules called "free radicals" which are said to cause it.

This damage has been implicated in several major diseases including cancer and heart disease. - bbc

Is this research is a ploy by the drug companies to keep people sick enough that they need to buy expensive drugs rather than inexpensive vitamins? I have noticed some strange reactions if I take too many vitamins. I now take mostly just vitamin C (the safest vitamin to take) but a few others from time to time. What is your experience?

1 comment:

TheAdlerian said...

Xeno, you're smart.

I've noticed a trend on Oprah and with the whole Green Movement to guilt people into wanting less and living with less. I think this is a quasi-conspiracy by the rich to create an ethic where living in deprivation is a good thing, thus allowing them to consume even more.

Currently, the Green Movement is asking us to clean up after massive Capitalism even though it continues to pump out crap. This is tricking many into becoming free labor.