252 Some Positive Nutrient Studies [27 January 2014]

Over the last few weeks I have explained why flawed nutrient intake studies can show little or no benefit. Rather than belabor the point further (and I could, discussing dosage, nutrient form, etc) this week I am listing some of the hundreds of studies that have shown benefit from nutrient supplementation. This is just a small sample:

• A UCLA study in 1990s, with 11,000 men over 10 years found that 800 mg daily vitamin C reduced cardiovascular mortality by 42%, adding an average 6 years to their life.
• The Physician’s Health Study II found that taking a multivitamin was associated with reduced risk of death, over 11 years, of 12% from cancer and 39% from heart attacks.
• Supplementation in Vitamins and Mineral Antioxidants Study found a 31% reduction in total cancer incidence in men taking a multivitamin.
• A 2013 study of 77,446 adults found an inverse relationship between dietary selenium and the risk of pancreatic cancer.
• A 2007 study of 81,184 people found low B6 intake associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
• A 2012 study on 23,943 people found that taking an antioxidant multivitamin reduced the risk of death from cancer by 48% and from any cause by 42%.
• A 2009 German study found that vitamin D3 supplementation reduced the risk of falls by 27% (more on this next week)

Note that some of these are “observational studies” that discover a relationship but do not necessarily show cause and effect. But when random controlled prospective studies fail to show the expected results, the researchers should first look for possible causes before concluding that supplementation is useless.

Sources:
“Are Multiple Vitamins and Minerals Really Worthless?” unpublished article by Dr. Zoltan P. Rona
Call to clinicians: Report vitamin D data by John Cannell, MD 20 Jan 2014

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.