The Physicians’ Health Study II was a large-scale, long term, randomized clinical trail that included 14,641 physicians taking either 500mg vitamin C or 400IU vitamin E or their respective placebos. It was found that after a follow-up of 10 years, no effect was found on the incidence of total cancer.

It was noted that while there were no effects on the incidence of cancer, supplementation did not cause harm.

So, we have a study telling us that vitamins C & E confer no benefit regarding cardiovascular health, and now no benefit on cancer. Is it time to chuck them out? Are they a waste of money?

Well, they still increase the life spans of fruit flies, so there’s got to be some good. Another point is that they only used 500mg/day of vitamin C, not really all that much, especially considering that far greater amounts are produced in the bodies of those animals that don’t lack the genes to produce vitamin C endogenously. I currently take 2000mg/day.

I’m going to review the literature when I get the time and bring me (and you) up to date with all the current thought on the matter, but I’m pretty busy at the moment, so you might have to wait a while.

Thanks to Eurekalert! for the info.