According to a new study, adequate intake of certain nutrients from foods, not supplements, is associated with an overall reduction in the mortality rate. Researchers have found no association between supplement use and a lower risk of death.
In addition, the researchers have found that excess calcium intake was associated with an increased risk of death caused by cancer, which could be due to supplemental calcium doses exceeding 1,000 mg per day.
The study was published Tuesday in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Scientists have claimed that supplements offer no apparent health benefits and just a waste of money.
Dr. Fang Fang Zhang, associate professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, said, “As potential benefits and harms of supplement use continue to be studied, some studies have found associations between excess nutrient intake and adverse outcomes, including increased risk of certain cancers. It is important to understand the role that the nutrient and its source might play in health outcomes, particularly if the effect might not be beneficial.”
The study looked at data from over 27,000 American adults aged 20 and above to analyze and evaluate the connection between dietary supplement use and death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Following are the findings of the study:
- Adequate intake of vitamin K and magnesium was associated with a lower risk of death.
- Adequate intake of vitamin A, vitamin K, and zinc was associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
- Excess intake of calcium (1000 mg/day) was associated with a higher risk of death from cancer.
According to the researchers’ evaluation, the above findings were associated with the nutrients derived from the food, and not from the supplements.
They also found that use of vitamin D supplements by those who have no signs of vitamin D deficiency might increase the risk of death from all causes, including cancer. Further research on this potential connection is needed. Dr. Zhang said, “Our results support the idea that, while supplement use contributes to an increased level of total nutrient intake, there are beneficial associations with nutrients from foods that aren’t seen with supplements. This study also confirms the importance of identifying the nutrient source when evaluating mortality outcomes.”
