Tag: dietary supplements

Folic Acid is Still Healthy

Claus Hancke

December 11, 2004

New media storm has no basis in the scientific data. To the long list of cheap and trashy attacks on dietary supplements another one can be added for folic acid, which is a recent hit-and-run victim of the Danish newspaper B.T. with its screaming headline: ”Supplement can cause cancer.”

To make such a sensational claim, this tabloid ignored the authors’ very clear statement that it may only be a statistical fluke. But we have seen this kind of cut-and-slash media coverage before.

The article actually covers an old study from 1967, which was dug up from its grave and published in the British Medical Journal. [1] It seems that some 3,000 women participated in this study, which was not double-blind controlled.

Instead, the supplements were given to the subjects using six different tablets, separately colored, and taken from numbered drawers. Of these 3,000 women, 31 died from breast cancer during the 37 years that had passed, and of these 31, 6 women got 0.2 mg folic acid, 8 got 5 mg folic acid, and 17 got a placebo.

Clearly, no statistical certainty follows from this result, which means that it may only be an accidental incident. The study was supported financially by the pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline.

As mentioned, the authors themselves stated that the result may be accidental.

Many earlier scientific studies had shown the contrary to be true. In fact, the official comment by the professors Oakley and Mandel in the British Medical Journal [2] clearly dissociates them from the media-sensationalized conclusion, when they write that these earlier studies taken together actually demonstrate that higher supplementation of folic acid would decrease, rather than increase, the risk of cancer.

Furthermore, they draw attention to the fact that every single year folic-acid enrichment of American foods alone saves more people from blood clots in the brain and heart than the number of people dying from traffic accidents in the USA.

Be wary of this study, which is old. Its proponents are trying to have their cake and eat it too because when old scientific studies speak of the benefits of dietary supplements or natural medicine, they are often accused of being based upon an ”old standard,” and of not ”living up to the present standard.”

In decency the same can be said about old studies that are negative towards dietary supplements. These days a lot are dragged out from the old moth bag.

The problem is not so much these old studies, as it is the media, which smell sensationalism and thereby frighten the population from taking these supplements that are so important, when taken properly. But proper use demands information, and the population is not allowed to be informed.

By: Vitality Council

References:
1. Charles D, Ness AD, Campbell D, Smith GD, Hall MH. Taking folate in pregnancy and risk of maternal breast cancer. BMJ 2004:329:1375-6.
2. Ockley GP, Mandel JS. Commentary: Folic acid fortification remains an urgent health priority. BMJ 2004;349;1376.

bmj.bmjjournals.com
www.iom.dk

“Amateur-like” Statement from the Organization Anti Doping Denmark

Claus Hancke

October 27, 2003

In October 2003 one could read pretty harsh warnings against the combination of dietary supplements and sports in several Danish newspapers. The medical doctor, Rasmus Damsgaard, from Anti Doping Denmark was the originator of these judgmental statements.

Damsgaard is quoted for several categorical announcements – among others: “Dietary supplements do not work – That’s it. And he calls it downright amateurish when respected coaches like Ulrik Wilbæk use supplements for their players.

But what are the facts? Yes, if you lean on science, as Damsgaard presumably does, there is actually evidence that several supplements have a beneficial effect in connection with sports.

This includes, for example, preparations that can prevent some of the many injuries that hamper elite sports, but also preparations that provide increased endurance.

As an example, a few well-conducted scientific intervention trials with placebo control can be mentioned:

Spanish basketball players who engaged in extreme training over 35 days were randomly assigned to receive supplements of vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotene or placebo.

In the vitamin group, there was a decrease of almost 30% in the harmful free radical activity compared to the placebo group. (Eur J Nutr. 2001 Aug;40(4):178-84)

The frequent immune weakening after extreme endurance sports has been studied in ultramarathon runners (>42 km).

Vitamin C supplementation resulted in significantly fewer respiratory tract infections after the run, namely 33% in the vitamin C group versus 68% in the placebo group. (Am J Clin Nutr. 1993 Feb;57(2):170-4)

There is also good documentation of the performance-enhancing effect. Finnish elite cross-country skiers were randomly assigned to receive Q10, 30 mg x 3, and this supplement significantly improved performance, oxygen uptake and recovery time in the Q10 group. (Mol Aspects Med. 1997;18 Suppl:S283-90)

Unfortunately, Rasmus Damsgaard is not the only one with a very unvarnished view of dietary supplements. Both Team Denmark and the Danish Sports Federation generalize and distance themselves from the category of dietary supplements.

The Vitality Council agrees that one should be careful when buying dietary supplements online, simply because the rules are different in other countries, and it can be difficult to check the content of the individual product.

However, dietary supplements purchased in general trade in Denmark are subject to Danish law, which includes, among other things, a requirement for a clear declaration of contents.

Elite athletes are exposed to extreme stress, and therefore they should eat an optimal diet – among other things to avoid injuries.

The Vitality Council supports this recommendation 100%. But elite athletes are no different from many other Danes, and it is often difficult to follow the official dietary recommendations. Food is rarely as healthy and varied as it should be. That is why athletes also choose to supplement with selected dietary supplements. For example, Viborg’s captain Karen Brødsgaard and Slagelse’s coach Anja Andersen have both spoken positively about the use of selected dietary supplements.

So far, only a modest amount of research has been published in relation to dietary supplements and sports – but with both positive and negative results. Damsgaard should therefore refrain from generalizing and warning against all dietary supplements.

It may be an easy and popular attitude, but it demonstrates a distinct lack of knowledge about the serious and well-documented products that exist.

And not least, it shows a lack of respect for the many professional athletes who choose one or more forms of supplementation – with good results.

By: Vitality Council

(No references)

www.doping.dk
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Nutritional Council’s Negative Statements Against Dietary Supplements

Claus HanckeLeave a Comment on Nutritional Council’s Negative Statements Against Dietary Supplements

November 12, 2002

One again the media have been misled by the Nutritional Council’s warnings against dietary supplements.

In the news channel TV2, they stated: “Knockout for Q10 and Selenium”. This is severe disinformation of the population.

The Nutrition Council has via Steen Stender MD, reintroduced an article in The Lancet from July 6, 2002, which among others found that small doses of vitamin E, C and beta carotene had neither a beneficial or harmful effect on a risk group of cardiac patients. Q10 and Selenium are not mentioned at all in this study.

The media have uncritically settled with only listening to one party in this controversial field. -and they have not even discovered that this is a purely Danish news story. They have not wondered why this English study is not mentioned in foreign media at all.

But the aforementioned study on Vitamin C, E and Beta-carotene in small doses nevertheless showed that these had “no beneficial OR HARMFUL EFFECT”.
Firstly, there is no scientific basis for claiming that antioxidants do not work.

Secondly, it is misleading to use this study to claim that antioxidants have side effects.

The Danish Minister of Food also stated this summer that side effects of dietary supplements have never been registered in Denmark. This is similar to the status in other countries.

It is time for the media to wake up to the fact that they are being exploited in a game. A game that aims to control and regulate the population’s access to health-promoting dietary supplements, and censor the population’s access to free and open information about the health-promoting effects of these supplements.

By Vitality Council.

(No references)

www.ernaeringsraadet.dk
www.iom.dk