CRN
Emphasizes Benefits of Vitamins;
Evidence on Cancer and Cardiovascular
Disease Still Emerging
Health
News
PR
Newswire
WASHINGTON, Jun 30, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Council
for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) issued the following statement
in response to a report from the U.S. Preventive Services
Task Force (USPSTF) in the July 1 Annals of Internal Medicine
titled "Routine Vitamin Supplementation to Prevent Cancer
and Cardiovascular Disease: Recommendations and Rationale."
Statement
by Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., CRN President:
"The
report concludes that, while ' ... there is little reason
to discourage people from taking vitamin supplements,' there
is not sufficient evidence to recommend for or against the
use of vitamins for the specific purpose of preventing cancer
and heart disease. The USPSTF recommended against the use
of large supplemental doses of beta-carotene, especially in
smokers, but recognized that 'there is no evidence to suggest
that beta- carotene is harmful to smokers at levels occurring
naturally in foods.'
The
USPSTF did a good job of reviewing the emerging evidence relating
to cancer and heart disease by citing some positive studies
and some inconclusive ones and concluded that, on balance,
we need more research on these topics.
It
is important to bear in mind that cancer and heart disease
are not the only -- or even the primary -- reasons for using
vitamins.
For
example, recent reviews by key researchers at Harvard Medical
School have concluded that multivitamins are a good idea for
virtually all adults. Dr. Walter Willett and Dr. Meir Stampfer
concluded in a 2001 article in the New England Journal of
Medicine that a daily RDA-type multivitamin ' ... makes sense
for most adults.' Dr. Kathleen Fairfield and Dr. Robert Fletcher
similarly concluded in a 2002 article in JAMA that a multivitamin
would be prudent for virtually all adults-and that the elderly
might consider taking two a day. These researchers were well
aware of the data cited by the USPSTF, and they affirmatively
recommended multivitamins based on a wider range of benefits,
including simply compensating for inadequate nutrient intakes
and overcoming age-related decreases in absorption or metabolism.
Potential benefits include strengthening immune function,
protecting against cataracts and macular degeneration, improving
cognitive function, building strong bones, and helping women
of childbearing age protect against having a baby with a neural
tube defect. As noted by the USPSTF, there are also positive
studies suggesting potential benefits even for cancer and
heart disease, for some nutrients.
An
article in the June 28 British Medical Journal breaks new
ground in proposing a 'polypill' composed of several components
-- including the B vitamin folic acid -- that the researchers
say could prevent 80 or 90 percent of heart disease and stroke.
Obviously these researchers were more persuaded than the USPSTF
about the value of folic acid in reducing homocysteine levels
and therefore reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The
bottom line is that individuals have to make their own decisions
about what makes sense for their own healthy lifestyle. But
many scientists believe, as does CRN, that the regular use
of dietary supplements, with a multivitamin as the foundation
of a smart nutrition program, makes good sense for the overall
promotion of good health and prevention of disease."
The
Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973,
is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing
dietary supplement industry ingredient suppliers and manufacturers.
CRN members adhere to a strong code of ethics, comply with
dosage limits and manufacture dietary supplements to high
quality standards under good manufacturing practices.
SOURCE
Council for Responsible Nutrition
CONTACT: Judy Blatman of the Council for Responsible Nutrition,
+1-202-204-7962
URL: http://www.crnusa.org http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.
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