![A supplement combining 3 natural products would be ineffective against prostate cancer](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2014-03-24/i65578-un-supplement-combinant-3-produits-naturels-serait-inefficace-contre-le-cancer-de-la-prostate.jpg)
May 13, 2011 – Combination of Vitamin E, Soy, and Selenium Would Not Help Prevent Prostate Cancer, Study Finds1 Canadian.
For 3 years, researchers analyzed the benefits of daily intake of supplements combining these 3 natural products in men at high risk of suffering from prostate cancer.
Just over 300 men with an average age of 62 with precancerous prostate cells took part in the study led by researchers at the University Health Network in Toronto.
Half of the participants – chosen at random – were administered, twice daily, a nutritional supplement consisting of 400 IU of vitamin E, 100 micrograms of selenium, and 20 g of soy protein (1/6 cup ).
The remaining participants received a placebo. Cancer cases were diagnosed using a biopsy at 6e, 12e, 24e and 36e month.
The results were the same in the 2 study groups. About 26% of participants taking a supplement suffered from cancer. Ditto for those who had to take a placebo.
A previous study had already established that supplements combining vitamin E and selenium had no benefit in preventing prostate cancer. The researchers wanted to see if adding soy protein – the high consumption of which in Asia could promote the low prevalence of cancer observed there – would translate into different results.
So it seems not, even though the daily doses of 2 of the antioxidants under study were above those recommended by Health Canada, 40 IU of vitamin E and 55 micrograms of selenium.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 1 in 7 men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 27 will die from it. About 24,600 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. Almost 4,300 men will die from it.
Louis M. Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
1. Fleshner NE, Kapusta L et al. Progression From High-Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia to Cancer: A Randomized Trial of Combination Vitamin-E, Soy, and Selenium. J Clin Oncol. 2011 May.