While its clear that further studies need to be conducted, those who are taking mega vitamins and large quantities of dietary supplements without doctors’ orders ought to stop. Many people are, its a $28 billion business.
Certain supplements like folic acid and Vitamin A, have been shown to be beneficial, but Vitamin E, C, Calcium and multi-vitamins could be hurting you.
“A succession of large-scale human studies, including two published earlier this month in leading medical journals, suggests that multivitamins and many other dietary supplements often don’t have health benefits—and in some cases may even cause harm,” wrote the Wall Street Journal’s Shirley Wang. “After decades of research on the possible benefits of nutritional supplements, the handwriting is on the wall: Vitamins look to be a bust for the majority of people, many leading scientists are concluding.”
“We have an enormous body of data telling us that plant-rich diets are very healthy,” says Josephine Briggs, head of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, another NIH center. “As soon as we take these various antioxidants[and other nutrients] out and put them in a pill, we’re not consistently getting a benefit.”
If it’s clear that further studies will be needed, you should change your headline. This was an OBSERVATIONAL study, which means you cannot draw conclusions about cause and effect from it. Nevertheless, the media is calling this conclusive evidence, which it is not. That’s what randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are for. http://www.prweb.com/releases/dietary-supplements-study/pms-pmdd-comfort/prweb8884800.htm
Dr. Heller, this one of MANY studies that are showing the same thing. Many of these supplements are a waste of money or worse, could harm people. Only take the supplements your doctor tells you to.