This Synthetic Vitamin is Linked to Causing Cancer, High Blood Pressure, Cardiac Risk & Osteoporosis

One of the greatest triumphs of marketing over evidence was the incredible rise of vitamin supplement use in the 20th century. Supplement makers successfully created a “health halo” around vitamins, and taking your vitamins became a virtue, something mothers told their children to do. The evidence, however, does not tell such a simple story.

In recent years it has become increasingly apparent that there are unintended consequences to taking vitamin supplements, and in fact there may be a net negative health effect. This is especially true for those who are healthy and don’t need vitamins, and for those who exceed the recommend dosages.A recent review of the last 20 years of literature on the subject, presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 2015 meeting, found an overall increased risk of cancer among vitamin users. Dr. Tim Byers presented the study, which echoes the result of a 2012 review that he and others published. He specifically refers to two famous studies showing an increased risk of cancer from vitamins.Taking more vitamins than is necessary for healthy cells may only serve to feed cancerous cells, promoting their growth. Elevated levels of vitamins, exceeding what the body need for normal metabolism, may also result in the creation of alternate downstream metabolites that have negative health consequences. Further, taking megadoses of a vitamin may alter the body’s natural homeostasis with negative consequence. This is likely true with antioxidants – oxidative compounds are used by the immune system and act as signals for the creation of protective proteins. There is a balance between oxidants and anti-oxidants, and shifting that balance is not beneficial.

Vitamins and Cancer Risk