Natural News for Women

Dear Reader,

You probably read the headlines the other month to the effect that ‘supplements may do you harm’. It is very difficult when we get so many conflicting stories in the press and then it makes it hard to know what to believe.

The study that was quoted was actually a meta-analysis which is a combination of the results of a number of studies. For a meta-analysis, the researchers can decide which studies to include and what not to include depending on what criteria they choose. The researchers identified 748 studies that could be included in this meta-analysis and then decided that there were only 409 eligible trials which were randomised controlled trials. But then they decided to look at only 67 of those. They excluded 405 trials where no deaths were reported.

It is difficult to see how 405 trials which reported no deaths were excluded from an analysis which was supposed to look at the effects of vitamins on mortality. The other big problem with this meta-analysis is that they assessed all-cause mortality, which means death due to anything. So people whose deaths may have been caused by road accidents, murder or suicide would be included and of course would have no connection with taking vitamins.

So do take these results with a large pinch of salt (well maybe not so large because of the link with high blood pressure!) but it is easy to see how statistics can be manipulated and that people will only end up seeing the doom and gloom headline. My recommendation is to take good levels of vitamins and minerals along with a healthy diet to give yourself the best chance of good health.

Kind regards,

Marilyn Glenville

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This entry was posted on Sunday, June 1st, 2008 at 4:30 am and is filed under Letters from Marilyn. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.