The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 278 No 7441 p238
3 March 2007

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News summary

Some antioxidant supplements may increase mortality

Use of the antioxidant supplements beta carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E may increase mortality, a meta-analysis published in JAMA this week suggests.

The review examines data from 68 randomised trials involving over 200,000 participants. A pooled analysis, regardless of trial quality, revealed no significant link between antioxidant use and mortality. But data from trials with a low likelihood of bias suggested a 5 per cent increased risk. Mortality was not increased with use of vitamin C or selenium (2007;297:842).