Selenium Vitamin E supplement increase the risk of prostate cancer

We often consume food supplements containing multivitamin and minerals which purport to provide health benefits, and we even don’t come to know that they actually have harmed our health.

One of such fact is that Selenium and Vitamin E which are extensively used as food supplements are found to be increasing risk of prostate cancer in men.

These facts about vitamin E were revealed from a clinical study conducted in USA and Puerto Rico, and Canada in multicenter clinical trial which involved about 400 sites and 35000 men, the study began in 2001.
4 Groups were formed comprising more than 8000 participants in each group,

Group 1 was given selenium and vitamin E
Group 2 was given selenium and a placebo for vitamin E;
Group 3 was given vitamin E and a placebo for selenium;
Group 4 was given given only placebo of selenium and vitamin E.

Finally it was found that, the patients taking selenium or vitamin E only and vitamin E and selenium both together were more likely to develop prostate cancer, than patients who took only placebo.
The clinical research named as SELECT was actually began to find out if selenium and vitamin E impart protection from prostate cancer , a 25 % reduction in risk was the goal which was never achieved but actually it was found that about 17 % increase in cases of prostate cancer were observed in group taking vitamin E
The study was conducted by SWOG which is a network of research institutions around the world , and was funded by National Cancer Institute (NCI) & institutions of National Institutes of Health.

Selenium and chromium extensively used in many food supplements claiming to be their beneficial effects on diabetes and many other disease conditions , and surprisingly those claims are not supported with any of prompt clinical studies revealing their beneficial effects and their usefulness in the claimed indications.

Even many food supplements which are given and growth promoter and claim to help in development of children brain and intellectual activities contain selenium and chromium in trace amounts.