MD Anderson scientists slam supplement use for cancer risk reduction

Related tags Nutrition

Dietary approaches to reduce the risk of cancer should focus on nutrient-rich foods and not supplements, scientists from MD Anderson Cancer Center have stated.

“Researchers are still unsure about whether or not minerals, herbs and other plants taken in pill, capsule, tablet or liquid form actually prevent cancer,”​ said Sally Scroggs, health education manager at UT MD Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Center.

Scroggs recommended foods packed with nutrients such as beta-carotene, selenium, lycopene, resveratrol, and vitamins A, C, and E, rather than supplements. The Center cited null results from studies such as the Women's Health Study and The Physicians' Health Study II.

“If you eat lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans, you should get the nutrients, including fiber, vitamins and minerals, your body needs to lower your chances of getting diseases like cancer,”​ Scroggs said. “Taking a pill can’t replace a healthy diet.”

The Center did acknowledge a “few examples of when supplements may be appropriate”, including pregnant or breastfeeding women, over-50s, vegans, and people at risk of vitamin D deficiency, B12 deficiency, and osteoporosis.

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3 comments

what a waste of ink or web sapce

Posted by A,

To think someone wasted time putting this stupidty online is amazing---Congrees in 1936 advocated vitamin use due to the soild depletion going on then --what year are we in???and with the DNA and genetic damage that the GMO foods are doing to the human race as well as animals and environment where does this fellow think we are getting any kind of nutrition or health for that matter?? this is something to just make news or gain attention---it would appear to me better time would be spent in getting rid of the cause of the issue on health by first getting rid of toxic pollutants and genetic anomalies that cause the diseases in the first place and work better with our farms and gardens to work with the soil rather then disrupt and force aluminum genetic tolerant plants to be grown there so we can add aluminum poisoning to the list of issues besieging the planet.

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Sleeping Scientist?

Posted by Terry,

The scientific community needs to wake up and do their job! There are a number of articles that have been written that both support and deny the efficacy of various supplements and their health impact. Yes, I am talking about mainstream journals like JAMA, New England, Lancet etc.
Anybody with a first grade education knows that we should eat a healthy diet that includes the recommend five servings of fruits and vegetables. That said, almost none of us do! An analysis of various freeze dried fruits and vegetables from the late 1950'S was done in comparison with the same ones of today. It was found that todays fruits and veggies had between a 150%-400% decrease in the amount of nutrients contained in them. Our soils are depleted. Why? It saves money to have a faster turn over never allowing the ground to replenish. Our cattle and poultry are full of antibiotics and hormones. Why? Faster turn over means more profits!
Why do the results vary as to the benefits of supplements? Most of the research done are retrospective studies. Reviewing questionnaires and historical data. Did the people really take their supplements everyday? Were they high quality(Most retail store brands have to have a two year shelf life=garbage)? Were they taking it properly (with/without food)? Did they take enough to make a difference? Most of the RDA guidelines are outdated and woefully inadequate to meet our daily needs for health. Survival maybe, but not for health. None of these questions can be answered by this type of research because there are no people to ask or follow up with...just piles of data!
Can certain vitamins and herbs be harmful? Of course! If you drink too much water you can die. More often than not with any of these, you have to take more than what a reasonable people would.
They are SUPPLEMENTS not food replacement! Whatever you put in your mouth, if it is not of good quality, don't expect the "outcome" to be good either!

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Supplement Naysayer

Posted by Randy Ice PT, CCS,

Including pregant women, those over age 50, vegans and those at risk of disease from various vitamin and mineral deficiencies....well gee that is about 90% of all Americans. Hello!! You cannot get enough of the OPTIMAL amounts of nutrients with diet alone, especially as you age and lose gut function and frequently appetite. No one eating the SAD diet in this country has adequate Vitamin D levels not to mention most other vitamins and minerals. Sunlight is either not available, nor will it raise 25 hydroxyVitamin D levels sufficiently to prevent disease in older people. Why are these so-called "experts" so clueless?

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