Warning About Vitamin E and Selenium Supplements
Research shows that over half of American adults take at least one supplement in order to get the proper amount of vitamins and minerals that they need.
But especially if you are taking supplements for one specific vitamin or mineral (instead of a multivitamin), it’s important to read the label on the bottle and follow the instructions. Better yet, talk to your doctor before begin taking any supplements and have them tell you the dosage that you should take and for how long.
Center’s Health Care had details on research that shows that too much vitamin E and selenium in the body can potentially be cancer-causing.
Vitamin E and Cancer Risk
Results of a study that was looking for a connection between selenium levels and the risk of prostate cancer in men found that those who had low baseline selenium levels in their system and took a vitamin E supplement had double the risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer than those who don’t.
How Does Selenium Play Into Things?
Researchers found that there wasn’t a higher or lower risk of prostate cancer based on whether natural selenium levels were high or low. The risk only increased in men who had high levels and also took a selenium supplement. The risk in that group was also double the risk of the control group that was taking a placebo.
Should You Avoid High-Dose Supplements?
This is definitely a conversation you should have with your doctor, but many doctors believe that there is little health benefit for anyone to take high dosages of any mineral or supplement, and that you are best off getting the nutrients you need through a balanced diet.
