A recent study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, BASF Corporation, Pfizer and DSM Nutritional Products found that daily supplementation with a multivitamin significantly reduced the risk of cancer among men.This particular study used Pfizer’s Centrum brand of multivitamins, which brings in around $1 billion a year in sales (a hefty share of the $40 billion US supplement market).
Undoubtedly, Pfizer will seek to use these study results to claim that taking Centrum multivitamins may help you prevent cancer… a lofty marketing move that has already landed them (and other drug companies) in hot water…In response, Pfizer agreed to drop certain claims related to “breast health” and “colon health” from the labels of its Centrum multivitamins, as well as from their Web site. CSPI subsequently agreed to withdraw their notice of intention to file a lawsuit.
Although it is good to see the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) keeping these companies honest, one of the biggest crimes is actually perfectly legal. These companies are using synthetic vitamins rather than natural ones in virtually all of their products, despite the compelling evidence of the vast superiority of natural versions.
More on this story here.
4 comments:
Interesting and informative read about the benefits (or not) of multivitamins. I especially thought this comment from the article "Remember, if you are interested in optimizing your health, your BEST solution is to choose the highest quality foods possible, and eat a wide variety of whole organic foods"
Well worth reading.
Joe
Recommended read
Jeff
You only have to go into your local chemist or supermarket pharmacy to see that multivitamins both for adults and increasingly children are big business. The colouful array can look alluring. It is of course our own choice whether to buy and take multivitamins, some do need extra supplements for health reasons, it is our choice.However, a good healthy, wholesome and varied diet can only do us good, surely?
Kay
Any company who make false claims about what they make whether it is medicine, food, furniture etc should be held responsible. Items should be truthfully and clearly described, we as a consumer expect this, although in recent reports many companies are lacking. The horsemeat scandal, furniture having a chemical in the upholstery that causes burns, vitamins and other medicine that can cause more harm than good.
Watchdogs are needed more than ever.
Jeanne
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