No trial to date has shown that vitamin and mineral supplements prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer.
Trials conducted in 1997 showed that vitamins A, C and E, selenium and group B vitamins had no beneficial effect. Since then, in cardiovascular prevention, 2 trials involving more than 5000 women and over 1200 diabetics found that folic acid, vitamin B12 and antioxydants (especially vitamin A, vitamins B3, B6, vitamin C, and zinc) were ineffective.
In cancer prevention, an initial trial carried out among over 14,000 men aged at least 50 showed that neither vitamin E, nor vitamin C had any impact on preventing prostate or any other cancer. Another trial involving more than 35,000 patients aged 50 and over also showed that neither selenium, nor vitamin E were any more effective than placebo in preventing prostate cancer or other disease.
Vitamins and minerals have been shown to be ineffective in preventing cardiovascular disease.
If people want to prevent disease through diet, the best advice is to follow the Mediterranean diet.
©Prescrire September 2010
"Vitamins and minerals: not for cancer or cardiovascular prevention" Prescrire Int 2010; 19 (108): 182 (pdf, subscribers only).