Pharmaceutical tablets and capsules (Photo : Reuters/Srdjan Zivulovic)
According to new research, taking too many dietary supplements can raise the risk of heart disease and cancer, Medical News Today reported.
Dr Tim Byers of the University of Colorado Cancer Center, studied the research papers which span 20 years. He looked at three widely taken over-the-counter supplements, folic acid, beta-carotene and vitamin E tablets, and cautioned against exceeding the recommended daily amount.
Dr Byers said that they are not sure why this is occurring but evidence indicates that individuals who take more dietary supplements than required tend to have an increased risk of getting cancer.
He further said that when they initially tested dietary supplements in animal models, they discovered that the results were promising. They then studied thousands of people for 10 years who were taking placebos and dietary supplements and discovered that the supplements were really not beneficial for their health. In fact, some people developed cancer while taking vitamins.
Folic acid supplements can help prevent spina bifida and other birth defects that affect the spine and brain. However, one study examined by researchers found that too much folic acid supplements raised the chances of developing cancer by 56 percent. Folic acid is also taken to reduce the risk of heart disease and polyps in a colon, which cause cancer. However, the study discovered that too much folic acid in supplement form increased the number of harmful polyps.
Furthermore, two trials found that taking beta-carotene supplements more than the recommended dose raised the risk of getting heart disease and lung cancer by 20 percent.
In the meantime, another trial of 35,000 people between the years 2001 and 2014 found that taking too many vitamin E tablets raised the risk of getting prostate cancer by 17 percent.
Byers said that this does not mean that people should be afraid of taking dietary supplements. If taken at the correct dosage, minerals and vitamins can be good for people. He further said that there is no substitute for nutritional food.
By consuming healthy foods, people can get their recommended dose of minerals and vitamins, Tech Times reported.
