ANTIOXIDANT STUDY BASED ON FLAWED RESEARCH
GENERATES DOUBTS AMONG EXPERTS

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. (February 27, 2007) — The February 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), details research findings from a meta-analysis examining the effects of antioxidant supplements (vitamins A, E and beta carotene) on all-cause mortality. Those findings are now being called into question by leading physicians and scientists.

“The fact that this analysis includes numerous disease conditions, and supplements at various doses, composition, and duration of administration, makes any conclusions meaningless,” said Qing Jiang, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University. “The majority of patients were on multiple prescription medications, which further invalidates the results.” The ages of the patients in the trials ranged from 18 to 103, with significant variability in health status that was not accounted for. In addition, many of the patients were smokers, a risk factor associated with high mortality.

In normal dose ranges, supplemental antioxidants provide a number of health benefits, including reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and some cancers, immune support and reduced progression of eye disease. These findings are supported by a large body of data, including observational studies.

“There is evidence that appropriate doses of antioxidants are effective in maintaining health and are essential to our well-being,” said Hyla Cass, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, and author of 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health. “On a personal note, I take antioxidants daily, and also prescribe them to my patients.” Patients with a pre-existing disease should consult their physician prior to beginning a new supplement regimen.

The study’s authors acknowledge that their results conflict with observational studies that have shown beneficial effects of supplemental antioxidants. These studies were both retrospective and prospective in nature and examined “primary prevention” (i.e., risk reduction) in healthy populations – rather than treatment of sick patients, as documented in the JAMA study.

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