Vitamin supplements may increase risk of death-firetrucks do not cause fires.

[Guest guest]

Please keep in mind that all that this study shows is

an association between the use of these anti-oxidants

and increased mortality. Association does not prove

causation. In other words, just because it is

associated it does not prove it is the cause. I had a

reaearch instructor who put it this way: " Because I

almost always see a firetruck at a fire, I must then

conclude that firetrucks cause fires. " Sounds

ridiculous, right? The same principle applies when

looking at research. Unfortunately, when the media

gets ahold of it they start reporting it as if the

associative factor is the cause instead of realizing

that it is only preliminary research. The result? The

general public goes into a frenzy and in this case,

they stop taking antioxidants. Always look at research

with a raised eyebrow.

Hinck

Pleasanton, CA

--- wrote:

> If there isn't a serious problem with the study

> review, I am confused.

> If all the evidence that led us to believe

> beta-carotene, C, and E

> had cancer prevention properties in the first place

> came from

> administering food to test subjects, and not

> isolated nutrients, as

> the summary states, where did the idea that these

> specific vitamins

> had this property come from in the first place? An

> unprocessed food

> contains hundreds of biologically effecting

> substances... that we know

> about. It seems like the prior studies would have

> indicated eating

> certain kinds of foods and not mentioned nutrients

> at all.

>

> Another question I have is whether this finding

> would apply to people

> who engage in activities that cause greater than

> normal oxidative

> tissue damage - aerobic athletes, for instance. It

> seems possible

> that the vitamins have the previously accepted

> antioxidant effect and

> also some kind of other toxic effect, that is not

> yet understood, when

> taken as supplements. Perhaps if one does a lot of

> oxidizing, the

> supplements are still worth the tradeoff.

>

> Wilbanks

> Wisconsin, USA

>

>

> > >

> >

> > >

> > > A media report like this is virtually worthless

> and possibly

> > > misleading. They include numerical details that

> may look impressive,

> > > but they haven't told us anything informative

> about the study, or

> > > given any clue where to look. I couldn't find

> the review they are

> > > referring to on the Cochrane website itself.