Two long-term trials of more than 50,000 people say Vitamins C and E are of limited effectiveness, when compared with traditional claims about their efficacy, in reducing the risk of various cancers:
“These things are ineffective, and in high doses they can cause harm,” said Edgar Miller, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “People are unhappy with their diets, they’re stressed out, and they think it will help. It's just wishful thinking.”
True, true. Eating the right kinds of foods, and not too much of them, while reducing stresses and getting more exercise, is the key.
But, Dr. Miller is absolutely right; too many people want a magic pill or pills.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Antioxidants Research Laboratory, whose studies were partially funded by the supplements industry, engaged in excuse-making, saying maybe the wrong versions of vitamins were used or the wrong people were tested.
Blumberg comes off sounding like an alt-medicine shill. What, were researchers supposed to go shopping for the “right” versions of vitamins, or screen out the “wrong” people.
Hey, Blumberg, have you heard of something called “double-blinded testing”? Apparently not.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments are appreciated, as is at least a modicum of politeness.
Comments are moderated, so yours may not appear immediately.
Due to various forms of spamming, comments with professional websites, not your personal website or blog, may be rejected.