January 12, 1999 – A large study of 29,133 male smokers in Finland over nine years shows that supplementation with vitamin E over a long period of time substantially reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
Men aged 50 to 69 who consumed 3 times the recommended daily dose of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) for 5 to 8 years had 32% fewer diagnoses of prostate cancer and their relative mortality rate. cancer was 41% lower than in the control group. However, supplements are not a miracle cure and they are not suitable for all situations because the rate of lung cancer was slightly higher in the men who took vitamin E.
The team of researchers also studied other variables in this large cohort, including the level of physical activity. Thus it was observed that the risk of suffering from prostate cancer was inversely proportional with active leisure activities except among manual workers. The most risk-reducing activity was … walking. According to the researchers, these results are consistent with other studies demonstrating the protective effect of physical activity on prostate cancer.
The association between baseline vitamin E, selenium and prostate cancer in the alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene cancer prevention study, Cancer Epidemio Biomarkers Prev 1998 Apr; 7 (4): 335-40
Physical activity and prostate cancer in the alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene cancer prevention study, Cancer Causes Control 1998 Jan; 9 (1): 11-8
