A recent study had found that the risk for melanoma was increased 4x for women who took supplemental vitamins C and E, beta carotene, selenium and zinc. These was an alarming study because about half of adults in our country take vitamin supplements. The results of that study shocked a lot of people. Fortunately according to an article in US New and World Report entitled “Antioxidants Pose No Melanoma Threat”, those findings of the initial study have now been found to have been flawed.
The new study, published in the August issue of Archives of Dermatology, concludes that their is no link between an increase of risk for melanoma and the use of vitamin supplements.
Consistent with the present results, case-control studies examining serologic [blood] levels of beta carotene, vitamin E and selenium did not find any association with subsequent risk of melanoma,” the authors wrote. “Moreover, the Nurses’ Health Study reported no association between intake of vitamins A, C and E and melanoma risk in 162,000 women during more than 1.6 million person-years of follow-up,” they added.The causes of melanoma have to do with genetic predisposition; sun exposure, especially in early life; and other yet-to-be determined factors, Ashinoff said. “Melanoma can occur internally, as in the vagina and GI [gastrointestinal] tract, as well as in the eye, so sun exposure is certainly not the entire story,” she said.
The new study was led by Dr. Maryam M. Asgari, of Kaiser Permanente N orthern California in Oakland. In this study they collected data on 69,671 men and women from a Vitamins and Lifestyle study. Through this they were able to take a look at the use of supplements and the risk of cancer. They were able to conclude that taking multivitamins and supplements for 10 years had no association with the risk of melanoma for either men or women.
This is good news for people and vitamin shops everywhere. The vitamin industry has certainly becoming a booming industry and people seem to be in love with them. Its extremely disheartening when you find out that something that you thought was going to be good for your body, turns out to have other bad side effects. So people keep on taking those vitamins and supplements with no need to worry about an increased risk of melanoma, and GNC keep those doors open.
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