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VSCurrently, the supplement industry is plagued by misinformation, mislabelling and lack of monitoring. Yet, more than half of the American population takes a supplement each day. According to the National Institutes of Health, it is necessary to continue research to prove what supplements can actually do. In response, a new clinical trial, involving nearly 26,000 people, now adds important results to a murky landscape.
The VITAMIN D and OmegaA-3 Trial (VITAL) trials helped determine if two of the most popular supplements, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid (also known as fish oil ), could effectively prevent cancer or cardiovascular disease. Although the results of previous studies are mixed, these new findings suggest that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation can lead to a significant reduction in heart attacks, while vitamin D supplements can reduce the number of cancer deaths.
The trial was led by JoAnn Manson, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, head of the preventive medicine division of Brigham and Women's Hospital, and one of VITAL's study directors, and by Julie Buring, Senior Epidemiologist at Brigham Hospital and Women & # 39; s. . Their team will present their findings Thursday at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society.
With regard to omega-3 fatty acids, they discovered that the supplement reduced the risk of heart attack by 28% and the risk of fatal heart attack by 50%. He had no benefit on stroke or cardiovascular death not related to heart disease.
The addition of a fish oil supplement has been the most beneficial for non-fish eaters or people consuming less than 1.5 servings per week. African Americans, who had previously been poorly studied in omega-3 clinical trials, also showed the highest risk reductions. These results have been confirmed by recent meta-analyzes of randomized trials of omega-3s, an essential reference in scientific research.
Meanwhile, vitamin D supplements have also been found to provide stellar benefits. Although these supplements have not reduced major cardiovascular events, such as a stroke or heart attack, nor the incidence of cancer, they have made reduce cancer mortality by 25%. While consuming vitamin D does do not reducing the total number of people who contracted cancer, its presence was linked to a lower probability of dying from this cancer. A recent meta-analysis of vitamin D has also confirmed that vitamin D supplementation is associated with a significant reduction in total cancer mortality.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that vitamin D affects tumor biology and can make tumors less invasive, less aggressive, and less likely to metastasize," said Manson. reverse.
Manson warns that the quality of the supplements and the amount you take are important. In this study, the team determined that specific doses were safe: for omega-3 fatty acids, this means one gram per day and for vitamin D, about 2,000 international units (IU) per day. Meanwhile, the Mayo Clinic recommends 600 IU for ages 1 to 70 years old.
"More is not necessarily better and in many cases it's worse," says Manson. "We should discourage megadores on these supplements."
Taking megadoses, or taking supplements beyond the recommended nutritional intake or individual needs, as recommended by a health professional, can lead to vitamins and supplements acting as a medication. Manson says that too much supplementation can lead to high levels of calcium in the blood, kidney stones and gastrointestinal problems.
Since choosing a supplement may be difficult, Manson suggests reading the label closely and looking for evidence of quality control or independent audit of the supplement.
The potential benefits are promising, but Manson does not recommend running to add omega-3s and vitamin D to the routines, as additional research is needed to formulate general clinical recommendations. For now, getting these nutrients in foods (fish and nuts are options rich in omega-3) or in short daily stays in the sun may be better than a supplement.
"There is no single solution," says Manson. "Food supplements are not a quick fix."
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