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Vitamin Value

Vitamin supplements are ineffective, a study by Oxford scientists has shown writes Rosa Silverman. While millions of Britons have been taking these pills in the belief that they can help prevent heart attacks, strokes and cancer, the study has indicated that we have only been wasting our time and money. The study, carried out over a ten year period, is the biggest trial of its kind to date. 20,000 people, who were already at a high risk of the diseases, were given pills. Half of them received a cocktail of betacarotene, Vitamin E and Vitamin C, three of the most popular supplements. The other half was given placebos. No evidence was found of any benefits to the people taking supplements. Oxford professor Rory Collins, co-author of the study, said “there no evidence that the pills are hazardous, nor that they’re beneficial.” He suggested that the reason why people with high intakes of these vitamin supplements have fewer health problems is “probably more to do with the fact that they are far more likely to be health-conscious anyway, through taking more exercise or having a healthier diet.”
ARCHIVE: 3rd Week TT 2003

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