In a Randomized Trial, Multivitamins Lower Cancer Risk

A diet rich in vegetables and fruits is associated with many health benefits, including lower cancer risk, but whether use of vitamin and mineral supplements, either individually or in a multivitamin, confers similar benefit is unclear. In a large, randomized, placebo-controlled U.S. trial of 14,641 male physicians (age, ≥50; mean age, 64) with relatively healthy lifestyles (mean body-mass index, 26 kg/m²; 3.6% current smokers), researchers assessed the effect of a daily commercial multivitamin (Centrum Silver) on cancer incidence and mortality.

Adherence was roughly 70% throughout the mean follow-up period of 11.2 years. Approximately half of all 2669 incident cancers during the study were prostate cancer. Total cancer incidence was lower i…