Vitamin E supplements linked to lung cancer

Extended use of supplemental vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E and folate will not protect you against lung cancer, reported Dr. Christopher G. Slatore, a pulmonary fellow at the UW, and his colleagues in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine last November. Furthermore, long-time use of Vitamin E was found to be associated with a small increase in the risk of lung cancer.

These results were based on surveys of 77,721 Western Washington men and women aged from 50 to 76 years as a part of the VITAL (Vitamins and Lifestyle) study. The survey asked lifestyle questions about current and past vitamin usage, smoking and other medical histories.

Emily White, the associate dean of the School of Public Health, established the VITAL study.

“I have a lifelong interest in supplemental use. … Taking supplements is a very American behavior and is not recommended by physicians,” White said.

Survey results were linked to the Seattle-Puget Sound SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) cancer registry, a database of people who have cancer. A total of 521 individual cases of lung cancer were identified in the survey pool. The results were adjusted for smoking, age and sex. No protective benefits were found from the supplements.

Though initially looking to find whether vitamin supplements have protective effects, researchers instead found that high dosages of vitamin E supplements are linked to lung cancer.

There is an increased risk of 7 percent for every 100 mg of supplemental vitamin E taken daily for 10 years. Researchers also found that the highest percentage of increased risk seemed to come from the smoking group.

Fruits and vegetables are associated with lung cancer prevention, and since dietary habits are hard to change, people may look to supplemental vitamins as a means of prevention, Slatore said. Supplements are widely used and believed to be helpful and safe.

Right now, the relationship between vitamin E and lung cancer is unknown. There are only speculations, Slatore said.

“We do know from other studies that vitamin E may lead to increased risk of death,” he said.

Slatore has no future plans to study vitamin E and hopes his findings can be used for other researchers.

“This is one of the best studies for looking at supplements,” he said.

Slatore and his colleagues are now researching non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs and lung cancer. He hopes the public will use the findings of his study responsibly.

“I don’t see any reason not to take [vitamin E],” he said. “People are spending more money than they need. People should consult their doctor regarding vitamin E.”

White agreed.

“I think people should not give too much emphasis on one study and should wait for national recommendations, and at the moment there are no recommendations that people should take vitamin E,” she said.

[Reach contributing writer Michelle Tanaka at development@thedaily.washington.edu.]