[ExI] Once again: Some vitamins don't help in large doses

[Michael LaTorra]

Hi Dan,
Your questions numbered, with my answers below:

*Q1.  How did you conclude from the article -- not the study, which you
admit you haven't read -- that this was regarding "large doses"?  (The
article mentioned "moderate doses.")*
A1. This is not the first or even the second LARGE study to reach the same
conclusion regarding use of supplements, so I deem it reasonable to conclude
that the vast majority of popular supplements do no good. Furthermore, some
of them may do harm (see links below). If I were desperately trying to find
some flaw in this and the other similar studies, then I might expend some of
my extremely limited and therefore precious time in an attempt to debunk the
study. But I've got better things to do.

*Q2.  How were you able to tell -- again, from the article -- exactly what
was meant by the dosage levels?  (Aside from "moderate doses," the article
mentions no specific dosage.  There was no remark like "500 mg of vitamin C
daily for twelve weeks" -- or, if there was, I completely missed it.:)*

A2. Oh puh-leeze! After you count how many angels are dancing on the head of
your pin, write home with the answer. I wouldn't waste my time, for
precisely the reason given in my first answer. If you'd like to do a little,
very easy research -- which doesn't even require you to locate and read the
original research in question -- please click on the following links and see
what has already been learned from other studies:

*Americans love supplements, but there is no evidence the pills make most of
us any healthier*
http://www.skepdic.com/vitacon.html

*Vitamin C and Vitamin E supplements, or placebo, given to over 14,000
physicians showed no effect on the development of heart disease.*
http://www.skepticforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=10452
**
*High doses of vitamin E may increase risk of death*
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3998847.stm

*Vitamins 'may raise death risk from cancer'*
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2004/oct/01/medicineandhealth.lifeandhealth1

*Vitamin A and increased risk of bone fracture*
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4167675.stm

*Antioxidants selenium, vitamins C, E don’t lower incidence of prostate
cancer in two large trials*
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/39225/title/Antioxidants_fail_to_prevent_prostate_cancer

*Large 8-year study finds no benefit from Vitamin C or E supplements in
fighting cardiovascular disease*
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-09-supplements-study_N.htm

*Large 7-year study finds no benefit from calcium or vitamin D supplements
for fighting breast cancer*
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/11/11/calcium-vitamin-d-wont-prevent-breast-cancer.html

*Taking high doses of vitamin E supplements can increase the risk of lung
cancer*
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7271189.stm

...I could go on, as the links above do not exhaust the confirmatory
research to support my claim. But I am exhausted at beating this dead horse.
I have to get back to writing a very important feasibility report for
something that might really do some good for a lot of people.

Best wishes for a long and healthy life, Dan!

Mike





On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 3:34 PM, Dan <dan_ust at yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> --- On Mon, 5/18/09, Michael LaTorra <mlatorra at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi Dan,
> > Why don't you do as you said and read the
> > specifics of the research, then get back to me?
>
> I hope to soon, but, again, I'm wondering why _you_ haven't read the
> specifics of the research.  Does it bother you that you don't know the
> details here?  I expect someone who touts an "evidenced-based" approach
> would actually practice it.
>
> A couple of questions I hope you won't ignore:
>
> 1.  How did you conclude from the article -- not the study, which you admit
> you haven't read -- that this was regarding "large doses"?  (The article
> mentioned "moderate doses.")
>
> 2.  How were you able to tell -- again, from the article -- exactly what
> was meant by the dosage levels?  (Aside from "moderate doses," the article
> mentions no specific dosage.  There was no remark like "500 mg of vitamin C
> daily for twelve weeks" -- or, if there was, I completely missed it.:)
>
> Later!
>
> Dan
>
>
>
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> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat
>
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