According to National Cancer Institute (NCI), excessive consumption of vitamins is linked to an increased risk of fatal prostate cancer. NCI study involved 295 344 men who were asked to give a detailed information about their vitamin supplements consumption. The study lasted 6 years, detecting prostate cancer in 10 241 participants.
Findings have shown that approximately the same number of men from each group – whatever their vitamin consumption levels – developed the disease. However, men who took multivitamins in excess (5% of participants) had higher risk of aggressive form of prostate cancer and death.
According to scientists, men who took multivitamins more than once a day had 27 percent higher risk of metastatic prostate cancer and 68 percent higher risk of death. The risk of aggressive cancer and death in men with family prostate cancer history was twice as high. Participants from a small group who were taking multivitamins in combination with zinc and selenium supplements were even at higher risk.
Since the participants took a wide range of vitamin supplements, the scientists say it is early to talk about specific biochemical mechanisms behind revealed patterns. Yet, the link between excessive consumption of vitamins and the risk of aggressive form of prostate cancer is obvious and calls for further studies.
