Antioxidants may protect only men from cancer
Antioxidant study design
Study participants (7,876 women aged 35 to
60 years and 5,141 men aged 45 to 60 years) took a single daily
capsule containing
placebo
or a combination of 120mg ascorbic acid, 30mg vitamin E, 6mg
beta carotene, 100µg selenium and 20mg zinc. Median follow-up
was 7.5 years. |
Men who take low-dose antioxidant supplements may reduce their risk of developing cancer, according to a new study. Women, on the other hand, do not appear to benefit, perhaps because their dietary intake of antioxidants is generally higher.
Serge Hercberg, of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research,
Paris, and colleagues, tested the efficacy of a combination of antioxidant
vitamins and minerals (see Panel) in reducing the incidence of cancer
and cardiovascular disease among 13,017 French adults.
Overall, the researchers found no differences between the antioxidant
and placebo group in terms of cancer incidence (4.1 per cent vs 4.5 per
cent), cardiovascular disease incidence (2.1 per cent for both groups)
or all-cause mortality (1.2 per cent vs 1.5 per cent).
However, when they analysed the data according to sex, they saw a protective
effect for low-dose antioxidant supplements in men. Compared with women,
men were 31 per cent less likely to develop cancer (relatice risk 0.69,
95 per cent confidence interval 0.53–0.91.)
“The present study reinforces the general recommendations of a
life-long diversified diet that includes an abundance of foods rich in
antioxidant
nutrients,” the researchers say.
They add that supplementation may be effective only in men because of
their lower baseline status of certain antioxidants, especially of beta
carotene (Archives of Internal Medicine 2004;164:2335). |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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