Critical assessment of the epidemiological data concerning the impact of antioxidant nutrients on cancer and cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Epidemiological studies strongly suggest that high intakes of foods rich in beta carotene, as well as those rich in vitamin E or vitamin C, reduce the risk of some but not all cancers and cardiovascular disease. It is difficult to determine whether these antioxidant nutrients per se are the sole protective agents or whether other factors associated with foods containing them contribute to the foods’ protective effects.

With respect to vitamin E, a number of studies where dietary and supplementary vitamin E were clearly differentiated, a reduced risk of certain cancers or cardiovascular disease from supplemental vitamin E but not from dietary vitamin E was demonstrated. This provides strong presumptive evidence that high intakes of vitamin E per se provide a health benefit.

Only a few intervention studies with specific nutrients are available and results are inconsistent.

Key words:

• antioxidant
• ascorbic acid
• beta carotene
• cancer
• cardiovascular disease
• carotene
• epidemiology
• selenium
• tocopherol
• vitamin C
• vitamin E