Supplements may not curb heart risk
Published: Aug. 14, 2007 at 11:59 AM
BOSTON, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Vitamins C and E and beta carotene do not appear to cut the risk of cardiovascular events or death among women at risk for heart disease, a U.S. study found.
Nancy R. Cook, of Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, in Boston, tested the antioxidants in the Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study, which tracked 8,171 women 40 years or older -- average age 60.6 -- from 1995 to 1996.
The women either had a history of cardiovascular disease or three or more risk factors. They were randomly assigned to take 500 milligrams of vitamin C or placebo every day; 600 international units of vitamin E or placebo every other day; and 50 milligrams of beta carotene or placebo every other day.
There was no overall effect of vitamin C, vitamin E or beta carotene on the outcomes of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary bypass surgery or angioplasty, or cardiovascular disease death, reported the study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Nancy R. Cook, of Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, in Boston, tested the antioxidants in the Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study, which tracked 8,171 women 40 years or older -- average age 60.6 -- from 1995 to 1996.
The women either had a history of cardiovascular disease or three or more risk factors. They were randomly assigned to take 500 milligrams of vitamin C or placebo every day; 600 international units of vitamin E or placebo every other day; and 50 milligrams of beta carotene or placebo every other day.
There was no overall effect of vitamin C, vitamin E or beta carotene on the outcomes of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary bypass surgery or angioplasty, or cardiovascular disease death, reported the study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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