FOOD FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Study Citing Antioxidant Vitamin Risks Based on Flawed Methodology

CORVALLIS, Ore. - A study being published today on possible health
risks of antioxidant supplements is based on flawed methodology and
ignores the broad totality of evidence that comes to largely opposite
conclusions, experts said today from the Linus Pauling Institute at
Oregon State University.

The research, which was published in this week's edition of the
Journal of the American Medical Association, concluded that
antioxidant supplements such as vitamins A and E may "significantly
increase mortality," and that there was no evidence for any positive
effect of vitamin C in the reduction of mortality rates.

However, Balz Frei, professor and director of one of the world's
leading institutes that studies the possible health value of vitamins,
phytochemicals and micronutrients, said that the new study's focus on
a selected group of clinical trials disregards the results of other
more positive trials, as well as huge amounts of laboratory, animal,
and human observational and experimental data.

"This is a flawed analysis of flawed data, and it does little to help
us understand the real health effects of antioxidants, whether
beneficial or otherwise," Frei said.

"Instead of causing harm, the totality of the evidence indicates that
antioxidants from foods or supplements have many health benefits,
including reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, some types of
cancer, eye disease and neurodegenerative disease," he said. "In
addition, they are a key to an enhanced immune system and resistance
to infection."

The "meta-analysis" published in JAMA, which is a statistical analysis
of previously published data, looked at 815 antioxidant trials but
included only 68 of them in its analysis, Frei said. And two of the
studies excluded - which were published in the Journal of the National
Cancer Institute and the prominent British medical journal Lancet -
found substantial benefits and reduced mortality from intake of
antioxidant supplements.

"If these two large studies had been included, none of the reported
effects on increased mortality would have been significant, with the
exception of the effects of beta carotene," Frei said. "And the
research showing a higher incidence of lung cancer in smokers who take
supplements of beta carotene or vitamin A is old news, that's been
known for many years. Very high doses of vitamin A are known to have
multiple adverse health effects."

All the new study really demonstrates, Frei said, is a bias toward
identifying studies or research that show harm caused by antioxidants,
and selective removal of research that shows benefits.

The mean duration of the reviewed trials was 2.7 years, so the implied
conclusion is that taking antioxidant supplements can kill people in
less than three years, Frei said. It is absurd to think that vitamin
supplements could have such an effect, he said, and no biological
mechanism has been identified that would explain it. In addition, the
causes of death were not considered or were not determined in many of
the studies reviewed, and may include accidents or other causes that
have nothing to do with diet or oxidative stress.

Most trials cited in the study, Frei said, tested multiple
antioxidants and additional interventions in the treatment of disease,
including a long list of other dietary supplements and pharmaceutical
drugs. The underlying health problems or multiple types of medical,
drug and surgical treatments could all interfere with or mask the
effects that can be attributed directly to antioxidants, he said.

"These trials don't tell us anything about the usefulness of
antioxidants in the prevention of disease, or whether the supplements
had the intended effect of lowering oxidative stress in the body,"
Frei said. "It's like doing a cholesterol-lowering trial without ever
measuring serum cholesterol. How can you draw any conclusions from
such a poorly-designed study?"

About the Linus Pauling Institute: The Linus Pauling Institute at OSU
is a world leader in the study of micronutrients and their role in
promoting optimum health or preventing and treating disease. Major
areas of research include heart disease, cancer, aging and
neurodegenerative disease. Media Contact
David Stauth,
541-737-0787

Source
Balz Frei,
541-737-5078