LONDON, Jul 21 (Reuters) - A leading British cancer charity called on Friday
for health warnings on vitamin supplements containing beta-carotene, saying they
can increase a smoker's risk of developing lung cancer.
The Cancer Research Campaign cited two studies that showed the danger of the
supplement for smokers.
"My advice to smokers, who can't kick the habit, is don't add to your risk
of getting cancer by taking beta-carotene supplements," Professor Gordon McVie,
the director general of the charity, said in a statement.
"The research is cast-iron in my view and I feel certain most smokers are
not aware of the risk."
Tomatoes, carrots and other yellow fruits and vegetables are rich in
beta-carotene.
The body converts it into vitamin A, which is important for healthy growth,
good vision and energy levels. It is also an anti-oxidant and neutralises the
effects of free radicals which damage DNA in the body and can lead to cancer.
But McVie said there seems to be a difference between naturally occurring
beta-carotene and pills containing it, although medical experts are not sure
what it is.
A study of 29,000 smokers in Finland, which was published in the New England
Journal of Medicine, showed that smokers were 18% more likely to get lung cancer
if they were given beta-carotene.
Research in the United States also found that the supplement raised the risk
of lung cancer in asbestos workers and smokers.
Britain's government recommended in 1998 that beta-carotene supplements
should not be used to protect against lung cancer, but McVie said the warning
had been ignored.
The government has also asked a group of experts to assess the safety of the
supplements. It is due to report its findings later this year.
"Eating vitamins in everyday foodstuffs, as part of a balanced diet, is
proven to be good for you," McVie said.
"But vitamins are very active and very effective substances and should be
treated as a medicine when they are given in pill form."
Solgar, a leading manufacturer of health products, said the negative effects
shown in the two studies could be due to the use of a synthetic source of the
supplement.
McVie said it was up to manufacturers to prove whether people would react
differently to supplements of beta-carotene from natural sources.
Britons spend about 80 million pounds ($120 million) on vitamin supplements
each year. ($1=0.6661 Pound)
