Multivitamins Not Found to Reduce Risk of Cancer or Cardiovascular Disease

Many postmenopausal women take multivitamins in the belief that they help prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer, but a large study has found that they do neither.

Previous studies have had mixed results, some suggesting that multivitamin supplements are associated with a reduced risk for some cancers, others finding little or no effect.

For the new findings, published in the February issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed data from 68,132 women who were enrolled in a clinical trial and 93,676 in an observational study. They followed the women for an average of about eight years to track the health effects of multivitamins.

After controlling for age, physical activity, family history of cancer and many other factors, the researchers found that the supplements had no effect on the risk for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, heart attack, stroke, blood clots or mortality.

The scientists acknowledge that women who take vitamins also engage in other healthy behaviors, and that there may be unknown variables affecting their results.

“Consumers spend money on dietary supplements with the thought that they are going to improve their health, but there’s no evidence for this,” said Marian L. Neuhouser, the lead author and a nutritional epidemiologist with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. “Buying more fruits and vegetables might be a better choice.”

source: nytimes.com

Kids Most In Need Least Likely To Take Vitamins

By Megan Rauscher
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children and teenagers who face the greatest risk of nutritional deficiencies tend to use vitamin and mineral supplements the least, researchers reported Monday.

Among 10,828 US children ages 2 to 17 years old who participated in the 1999 to 2004 United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, roughly 34 percent had used vitamin and mineral supplements in the past month.

"We hypothesized," Dr. Ulfat Shaikh told Reuters Health, "that children who had poor diets (low vegetable intake, low milk intake, high fat intake, low fiber intake), faced food insecurity, had less physical activity and poor access to health care, would use such supplements more."

"What we found was for the most part the opposite of what we expected," said Shaikh from University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento.

"Other than children who were underweight (we did expect these children to use more vitamin and mineral supplements and found this to be true from the data), children who used vitamin and mineral supplements were for the most part healthier, had more nutritious diets, greater physical activity, lower sedentary activity, lower obesity, lower food insecurity and better health care access," Shaikh noted.

"Their parents additionally reported them to be in better health than children who did not use such supplements."

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend vitamin and mineral supplements for healthy children older than 1 year who consume a varied diet, Shaikh and colleagues note in a report in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

"Our data," Shaikh warned, "indicate that families with children who may benefit from these supplements appear to have limited resources and competing financial demands that prevent them from using them."

SOURCE: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, February 2009.

Vitamin B1 May Reverse Kidney Disease in Diabetes Patients

Researchers at the University of Warwick have discovered high doses of thiamine (vitamin B1) can reverse the onset of early diabetic kidney disease.

Kidney disease, or diabetic nephropathy, develops progressively in patients with type 2 diabetes. Early development of kidney disease is assessed by a high excretion rate of the protein albumin from the body in the urine, known as microalbuminuria.

The researchers have discovered taking high oral doses of thiamine can dramatically decrease the excretion of albumin and reverse early stage kidney disease in type 2 diabetes patients.

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It was shown that 300 mg of thiamine taken orally each day for three months reduced the rate of albumin excretion in type 2 diabetes patients.

The albumin excretion rate was decreased by 41% from the value at the start of the study. The results also showed 35% of patients with microalbuminuria saw a return to normal urinary albumin excretion after being treated with thiamine.

Forty patients with type 2 diabetes aged between 35 and 65 years old took part in the trial. They were randomly assigned a placebo or 3 x 100mg tablets of thiamine a day for three months.

The Warwick research group has already conclusively proven that type 2 diabetes patients have a thiamine deficiency. In an earlier study led by Professor Paul Thornalley at Warwick Medical School, the research team showed that thiamine deficiency could be key to a range of vascular problems for diabetes patients.
Source: elements4health.com

Group Sues Coke Over Vitaminwater Claims

Consumer Group Says Drink Helps Obesity, Not Health

Vitaminwater, which is marketed as a healthy drink, is nothing more than soda without the bubbles, according to a consumer group that has filed a lawsuit against maker Coca-Cola, claiming deceptive advertising practices.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest said that Coke's claims that the drinks can improve health are unsubstantiated.

CPSI said that the 33 grams of sugar in each bottle of Vitaminwater do more to promote obesity than any health benefits other ingredients might provide. It also said that the claims of help for the joints and bones cross the line into fraud.

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Coca-Cola responded with a statement on its Web site that called the move ridiculous and ludicrous.

"Vitaminwater is a great tasting, hydrating beverage with essential vitamins and water, with labels showing calorie content," it said. The company also said the drink, like all its products, can be part of a healthy diet.

CSPI disagreed.

"Vitaminwater is Coke's attempt to dress up soda in a physician's white coat. Underneath, it's still sugar water, albeit sugar water that costs about ten bucks a gallon," said Steve Gardner, the group's director of litigation.

Michael F. Jacobson, the executive director, said people should get their vitamins from real food or inexpensive supplements.

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Source: wftv.com