Study: Vitamin E Raises Prostate Risk

Taking vitamin E pills, once thought to help prevent prostate cancer, appears to actually increase a man’s risk of the disease, a new study finds. The study included more than 35,000 men. They were healthy and at least age 50 when the study began. They were randomly divided into 4 groups. One group took a high-dose vitamin E pill each day. One group took selenium, another nutrient. One group took both. The fourth group took placebo (fake) pills. The study was halted after about 5 years because it was clear that the pills were providing no benefit. Early results also suggested a higher prostate cancer risk with vitamin E. But researchers still kept track of the men. The new follow-up study confirmed a 17% higher prostate cancer risk for the men who took vitamin E. In a 7-year period, there were 76 cases diagnosed per 1,000 men in this group.