Multivitamins Help Prevent Chronic Disease

By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine

Multivitamins are under attack – again. But this time, the charges are being leveled by none other than Harvard Medical School.

According to the March issue of Harvard Men's Health Watch, the vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid in multivitamins don't prevent disease. What’s more, they also claim that folic acid may actually cause cancer. Excuse me???

Guilty as Charged?

Harvard wasn’t just content to make a blanket statement against multivitamins. They combed published studies, cherry-picking the few that showed no benefit or linked certain nutrients with health problems. For example, they cited studies showing that antioxidant supplements not only don't protect against heart disease or cancer, but "in some cases, they may actually do more harm than good."

Next, they tackled research on the three Bs: B6, B12 and folic acid, and concluded that recent randomized clinical trials show that B-vitamin supplements don't prevent heart disease. They also cited one study showing that people who took folic acid had more colorectal adenomas and more prostate cancers than those who took a placebo. But the study involved only people who were at high risk for colorectal cancer, and who took 1,000 mcg of folic acid – two and a half times the recommended daily allowance.

Harvard Men’s Health Watch notes that some recent studies have linked multivitamin use to prostate cancer. More convincingly, studies have linked high intakes of folic acid to colon polyps, the precursors of colorectal cancer. To make their point, they note a 2007 report where scientists tracked colorectal cancers diagnosed in the U.S. and Canada between 1986 and 2002. In the mid-1990s, they found an extra four to six diagnoses of colorectal cancer per 100,000 people in each country. The theory? Folic acid may have contributed to the up tick in colorectal cancers.

The Harvard researchers point out that government-mandated folic acid fortification in U.S. grain products has reduced the incidence of spinal cord birth defects by up to 50 percent since 1996, but cite an unproven assumption that, when those fortified foods are coupled with a multivitamin, blood levels of folic acid can increase to amounts that may increase the risk of colorectal and possibly prostate and breast cancers.

Changing Their Tune

The folks at Harvard say that, because folic acid is now added to so many grain products, a healthy diet, combined with a multivitamin could boost a person’s daily intake to 1,000 mcg or more. They suggest that the average man give up his multi, at least until scientists solve the puzzle of folic acid and cancer.

What they don’t mention is that the Harvard School of Public Health has repeatedly urged Americans to take a multi. As recently as 2007, the venerated university noted that “there's good evidence that taking a daily multivitamin makes sense for most adults” – citing numerous studies on the benefits of the antioxidants. They also emphasized the benefit of B vitamins for both heart health and cancer prevention!

What’s Wrong with this Picture?

If you look beneath the surface of the Harvard article you’ll find that the antioxidant studies it referenced have been heavily criticized by the scientific community. And the folic acid research? Turns out it was only one study. It may merit a follow-up, but it's still just one study.

I’m not the only one concerned about the recommendation that people should jettison their multivitamins. Andrew Shao, Ph.D., vice president for scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council of Responsible Nutrition (CRN), said the newsletter's recommendation is "clearly a premature action. Even the Harvard professors I contacted about this thought it was premature, and said they still take their multivitamins."

Dr. Shao also cited an October 2007 CRN study of 1,177 healthcare professionals that found that 87 percent of doctors and 86 percent of nurses take multivitamins – and about three-quarters of them said that they urge their patients to take a multivitamin too.

One Last Thing ...

While I think everyone should take a daily multivitamin to help shrink the nutritional gaps in their diets, most mulits don’t contain enough of any one nutrient to hurt you – or to fully protect you from specific diseases.

One recent decade long study looked at the impact of multivitanims, as well as supplemental vitamin C, vitamin E and folate, on the risk of developing lung cancer. The researchers used data from 77,721 men and women aged 50–76 years who were participating in the VITAL (VITamins And Lifestyle) study.

While the reserchers didn’t find a link between lung cancer and taking multivitamins, vitamin C or folate, vitamin E didn’t fair as well. In fact, they discovered a 28 percent increased risk for lung cancer in the participants who took 400 mg. of vitamin E a day 10 years. The biggest increase was in the risk for non–small-cell lung cancer, especially in the folks that smoked. But most multivitamins don’t come close to that dose. In fact, many multis’ only include 50 mg. of vitamin E.

While most people get enough vitamins from their diet to avoid deficiencies, relatively few get enough to prevent diseases. But taking a standard multivitamin can supply you with enough of these vitamins to augment a healthy diet and help prevent chronic disease. It's about the least expensive health insurance you can buy.

This Just In ...

Every time I turn on the TV, I see yet another commercial for some new energy drink. And most tout herbal additives, leaving the impression that they are actually good for you. The truth? Although many energy drinks feature small amounts of beneficial ingredients like taurine and ginseng, most are far from healthy. The typical energy drink contains excessive amounts of sugar and caffeine, which can be dangerous to those with diabetes or heart conditions. And, while the occasional shot of liquid energy probably won’t hurt you, it’s easy to become reliant on energy drinks to get you through the day.

A better idea? Good old fashioned water is the best alternative to energy drinks. Re-hydrating is a great way to stay alert and to move other nutrients through the body. Other tried and true ways to increase energy include maintaining a healthy diet, regular physical activity and, of course, a good night’s sleep.

But what about those times when you really need a boost? Yerba mate tea, which naturally contains caffeine as well as other natural stimulants, is a popular choice. Perhaps part of the reason some people swear by it is that its brewed leaves contain theobromine, an alkaloid that to help elevate mood. A growing body of research shows that yerba mate also helps strengthen the immune system, relieves allergies and aids in weight loss.

Another take on healthy energy drinks comes from a handful of companies selling products with vitamins and nutrients instead of caffeine to give drinkers a kick. Look for bottled drinks spiked with a combination of vitamins and minerals that provide the body with electrolytes and antioxidants. And check the ingredient label for high-fructose corn syrup, which is prevalent in many drinks. Opt instead for a beverage sweetened with honey or stevia.

Of course, stimulants – herbal or otherwise – don’t affect everyone equally. Go slow when you try a new drink to make sure it agrees with you. And if all else fails, remember you can always just go take a nap.

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References:

“Dietary Insurance: A Daily Multivitamin.” Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health Publications. 2006.

Heck CL, de Mejia EG. “Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): a comprehensive review on chemistry, health implications, and technological considerations.” Journal of Food Science. 2007;72:R138-151.

“Multivitamins and Cancer Risk.” Harvard Men's Health Watch. Harvard School of Public Health Publications. 2008.

Slatore CG, Littman AJ, Au DH, et al. “Long-Term Use of Supplemental Multivitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Folate Does Not Reduce the Risk of Lung Cancer.” American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2008; 177” 524-530.