Response to misleading JAMA article on Vitamin E and prostate cancer

[Guest guest]

From: lifeextension@...(Life Extension)

Life Extension responds to misleading Journal of the American Medical

Association (JAMA) article

A problem facing researchers today is that by the time human clinical

trials are designed, funded, and conducted over multi-year periods, the

primary reason for doing the study often turns out to be obsolete.

Based on a number of favorable reports, the U.S. Government decided to

spend over $114 million dollars to see if alpha-tocopherol and/or

selenium supplements prevent prostate cancer. Data collected after five

years found no reduction in prostate cancer incidence in men taking

these supplements.

We have known for over ten years that when alpha-tocopherol is taken by

itself, it displaces critically important gamma-tocopherol in our cells.

An abundance of evidence points to the gamma-tocopherol form of vitamin

E as the most protective against prostate cancer.

By supplementing aging men with only alpha-tocopherol, scientists may

have unwittingly increased these men & rsquo;s prostate cancer risk by

depriving prostate cells of critical gamma-tocopherol. This is only a

tiny part of the real story behind this terribly flawed study.

The American Medical Association is now using this study to discredit

vitamin E and selenium supplements. An AMA editorial concludes by

advising:

& ldquo; & hellip;. physicians should not recommend selenium or vitamin E

& mdash; or any other antioxidant supplements & mdash; to their patients

for preventing prostate cancer. & rdquo;

What follows are some succinct facts to rebut the AMA & rsquo;s misleading

assertions, along with links to more detailed discussions about what

aging men need to do to reduce prostate cancer risk.

Alpha-Tocopherol, Selenium and Prostate Cancer & hellip; An Overview

A JAMA study released December 9, 2008, suggests that nutritional

intervention (selenium and synthetic vitamin E) does not reduce prostate

cancer risk (the SELECT study):

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/2008.864

In January, 2008, as part of our article & ldquo; Merv & rsquo;s

Tragic Death from Prostate Cancer, & rdquo; Life Extension predicted that

the SELECT trial would fail. We also knew that this flawed trial would

be misused by the mainstream medical establishment to

& ldquo;prove & rdquo; to the lay public that low-cost nutrients like

vitamin E and selenium do not reduce prostate cancer risk, and by

extrapolation, to impugn other low-cost, efficacious nutrients like

vitamin D, fish oil, and soy as having no benefit.

In fact, Life Extension & rsquo;s members were made aware of a fundamental

fact 8 years ago that all but guaranteed trial failure of this most

recent attack against dietary supplements.

In the current JAMA trial, men supplemented with synthetic

alpha-tocopherol experienced significant gamma-tocopherol depletion. Men

supplemented with alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol plus selenium

experienced a 45% & ndash;48% depletion in gamma-tocopherol levels by 6

months that was sustained during the course of this 5-year trial.

In March 2001, in an article titled & ldquo; Avoiding Prostate

Cancer, & rdquo; Life Extension identified the phenomenon of

gamma-tocopherol depletion associated with excess alpha-tocopherol.

Furthermore, Life Extension identified the critical importance of gamma-

tocopherol supplementation in dramatically lowering the risk of

developing prostate cancer & mdash; in fact, a study of 10,456 men showed

that men who had the highest blood levels of gamma-tocopherol were five

times less likely to get prostate cancer.

In addition, Life Extension reported in the landmark article & ldquo;

Eating Your Way to Prostate Cancer, & rdquo; published February 2007,

about the importance of controlling dietary intake of arachidonic acid

and the grave consequences of failing to mitigate up-regulation of the

5-LOX enzyme by poor dietary choices.

To review a draft review of what aging men really need to do to protect

against prostate cancer, click here.

To review an in-depth draft of a highly technical rebuttal to this most

recent attack against dietary supplements by the American Medical

Association, click here.

For longer life,

Faloon

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug

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