BILLINGS - A National Cancer Institute study shows not only do supplements of vitamin E or selenium not seem to prevent prostate cancer, but they might actually be harmful.
An estimated 28,000 men will die from prostate cancer this year in the U.S. alone. And previously studies seemed to suggest taking vitamin e and or selenium supplements would decrease the risk for the disease, but a new study doesn't support that hypothesis.
Researchers studied 35,000 men who took one supplement or the other. Neither group showed a decreased risk for prostate cancer. "We are always looking at antioxidants and vitamin E and selenium are both antioxidants. It's thought that they prevent cancer but, at least in this study, they did not and that is frustrating." says Oncologist Dr. Tom Purcell with Billings Clinic.
Secondary analysis seemed to show that the men taking vitamin E actually had an increased risk for prostate cancer and those taking selenium showed more cases of diabetes. However Dr. Purcell says the findings were not statistically significant and more research is needed.