Do Vitamin Supplements increase Mortality?

October 2011 Study says Vitamin Supplements increase MORTALITY

Scientists analyzed data from the Iowa's Women’s Health Study and found certain vitamins and minerals (folic acid, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper) increased mortality by 2.3 to 15% over 20 years, with multiple vitamin users increasing 2.4%, usually to Scientists a non-significant difference.

Another report from a follow up of the SELECT study testing vitamin E and selenium on prostate health said that even on follow up after the vitamin E users stopped taking vitamin E, their prostate cancer risk was still slightly elevated.

One needs to, of course, put things in perspective. NOT mentioned in the Iowa's study was that mortality was reduced by some of the other nutrients in multiples not listed in these studies. Lots of number juggling here to arrive at these conclusions as well. There are far too many positive studies of supplements that prove the opposite. One study mentioned above used a less that reliable scientific method of just having people report what supplements they took and this recall without any given specifics was then used to link with mortality rates. Without knowing the cause of mortality (death), it is difficult to establish if there is a plausible link to vitamin actions.

Food for Though: Is it acceptable to assume a little risk from vitamin use when benefits are so plentiful?

 Back to these studies, no explanations could be offered by the study authors as to the mechanisms driving these findings. If you have already read the Vitamin Criteria on this website, you would have gained some of the knowledge that will most likely be the future findings of scientific research. These include NO IRON, unless anemic and under MD's care, to limit the free radical negative oxidizing effects of iron. Next, limit Folic Acid to 200 mcg for Seniors since folic acid could increase tumor growth rates, and high folic acid with low vitamin B12 also has contra-indications in Seniors for dementia and anemia. For magnesium, there is more science for an increased mortality at lower levels, but also some at higher than normal levels in this reference.* Obviously there are always some exceptions due to genetics, lifestyle, and environmental influences. Zinc is mostly positive for reduced mortality, especially due to wound healing and infection fighting. Then there is also the possibility that higher dosage vitamin E might act as a blood thinner increasing Hemorrhagic or bleeding strokes while reducing Ischemic or clotting strokes.

*In this reference, the term Hypomagnesemia is used that needs an explanation. Hypomagnesemia means magnesium is low in the BLOOD. Low blood levels can occur even if body levels of magnesium are normal. Hypomagnesemia may result from a number of conditions including inadequate intake of magnesium, chronic diarrhea, malabsorption, alcoholism, chronic stress, and medications such as diuretic use among others

The Women's study has at least 2 assumptions that need to be examined. Remember the Women's results are just associations and not cause and effects. First, the causes of death need to be mentioned to see if there is a possibility of a vitamin or mineral connection. At the start of the study only about 60% of women took one supplement, while at the end it was 85%. Did they start taking vitamins after a health condition developed? This alone could be responsible for a significant part of the results.

Next, it is important to know what vitamins and the dosages and forms they took to gain insight to increase future safety. This website's precautionary principles for vitamin supplement consumption could potentially prevent or significantly reduce most of these known vitamin adverse effects, even though the scientific community doesn't officially recognize them yet. There are certain beneficial windows of dosages as well as forms that are involved.

Counter Mineral Study

Check out the results of this study, ref. Higher magnesium means lower mortality while higher copper equates to higher mortality. Not much weight can be given this study because mineral blood levels for magnesium, zinc, and copper were only recorded once at start. They could have been influenced by particular foods eaten in the diet before that were higher for some minerals but the diet changed after test. "Conclusions: High serum copper, low serum magnesium, and concomitance of low serum zinc with high serum copper or low serum magnesium contribute to an increased mortality risk in middle-aged men."

TAKE AWAY: Yes, some vitamins in certain dosages and forms may have adverse effects on health or disease conditions. Stay within a certain dosage range and use proper forms and one is protected against many diseases. It all has to do with an optimal range, maintaining nutrient ratios, and proper nutrient forms according to body wisdom. WHY is this concept so difficult for Science to comprehend? BECAUSE the proper dosage range varies in different subsets of people and at different ages and nutrients can play different roles before a disease is present compared to after it develops. Some changes are actually generated by the disease condition.

Example: Tumors can speed up the breakdown of the active form of vitamin D into a non-active form. Plus they prevent the further activation of new active vitamin D, since Vitamin D activities are destructive against infections and tumors.

More on this topic is coming as well as can be found in other articles on this website.