Multivitamins have no effect in colon cancer, study says

Despite the general belief, a new study suggests that taking multivitamins regularly does not reduce the risk of death in patients suffering from colorectal cancer.

Previous studies have reported a high mortality rate among postmenopausal women who carry extra weight before being diagnosed with colon cancer. Colon cancer sufferers, therefore, were urged to shed off pounds to live longer.

"The exact mechanism of this effect is unknown, but abnormal glucose tolerance, high levels of insulin, insulin-like growth factor I, and leptin, and increased oxidative stress, typical for patients with abdominal obesity, are known to promote colon cancer progression and increased mortality of colon cancer patients," scientists said.

Many also believed taking multivitamins would help treat colon cancer and prolong life in the sufferers.

According to the study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, multivitamin does neither increase the rate of disease-free survival among colon cancer sufferers nor protect them against possible relapses.

Taking the supplements during chemotherapy increased the life span of obese patients with colon cancer who aged 60 and less. After chemotherapy, however, taking the vitamins does not boost the survival rate among these individuals.

"This study adds to a growing body of research that questions the purported benefit of multivitamin use, and it underscores the need to investigate the use of individual vitamins, such as vitamin D, which may, in fact, provide real benefit," said senior author Charles Fuchs.

Via : presstv.ir