Take your daily (Pfizer) multivitamin, reduce cancer risk

Bloomberg Businessweek reports that a recent study reveals that “Pfizer Inc.’s (PFE) Centrum Silver multivitamin can reduce a man’s risk of cancer when taken daily.” This finding is counter to previous findings that show such supplements have no beneficial effect and may be harmful.

So who do I believe?

To that point one of the lead study authors, Michael Gaziano, a cardiologist with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the VA Boston Healthcare System, notes that “This is the only trial that’s ever looked at a common multivitamin over a very long period of time.” He also says that “Our findings are somewhat consistent with the dietary findings that say a varied diet, particularly high in fruits and vegetables, show a fairly consistent association with reduced cancer risk.”

Ok, maybe I will wander over to the Centrum Silver section of the vitamin aisle.

 

Here’s a link to the Bloomberg Businessweek article: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-17/pfizer-multivitamin-reduces-cancer-8-percent-in-men-study-finds

And for you purists, you can find the Journal of American Medical Association abstract here: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1380451