The conclusion from two massive studies of the possibility that antioxidant supplements might ward off prostate cancer was so rock solid that the research teams released their findings way ahead of schedule, citing public health implications as their reason for doing so.  Both studies proved there is no evidence at all that selenium and vitamins C and E prevent men from developing prostate cancer.  The findings from both studies were made public today instead of waiting until their planned publication in the January 7 print edition of the ‘Journal of the American Medical Association’ (JAMA).

Dr. Scott Lippman, professor of medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, evaluated the effects of selenium and vitamin E on more than 35,000 men of various races.  The black men in the study were all age 50 or over and the others were at least 55.  This age difference was based on data from the American Cancer Society that says black men are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer than men of other races.

The men were randomly assigned one of four treatment programs.  Some received only selenium, others got only vitamin E, while a third group got both supplements, and the fourth, control, group got placebos.  Each man was followed for an average of five years.

No statistically significant evidence of cancer prevention was discovered in any of the four groups.  When this conclusion became obviously apparent, the study was stopped early.

Researchers at Harvard University involved almost 15,000 male doctors age 50 and over who were monitored for an average of eight years each.  The physicians were randomly assigned to three groups:  one receiving vitamin C, one getting vitamin E, and the third group got placebos.

Once again, the antioxidant vitamin supplements failed to prevent prostate cancer in any significant measure.

Cancer patients and their doctors would love to find a magic bullet that prevents any cancer from developing but recent studies on a multitude of vitamins suggest nutritional supplements aren’t the answer.  Vitamins B, C, D, E, folic acid, and calcium have all been the subject of study in recent years but none has proven clinically effective in preventing cancer in any form.

Without discounting entirely the beneficial effect of nutritional supplements, Andrew Shao says nutritional supplements have an effect on the whole body while pharmaceutical agents are specially formulated to zero in on a very select group of individual cells.  He says it would be a mistake to say vitamins don’t work at all although they may not prevent cancer.  Shao is vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Washington, DC-based Center for Responsible Nutrition.