Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants and Supplements : 605 Articles

Vitamins and minerals are essential for normal growth, function and health. Scientific evidence suggests that antioxidants - natural compounds in foods - can help ward off heart disease, cancer, cataracts, even Alzheimer's.  Search this section for the latest research about how the nutrients and supplements can help keep you healthy.

Selenium supplements may raise skin cancer risk

In patients with a history of skin cancer other than melanoma, the use of selenium supplements does not appear to prevent the recurrence of two other types of skin cancer--basal cell and…

Carotene, vitamin E don't prevent heart attacks

Having high levels of vitamin E or beta-carotene (and compounds like it) is no guarantee that you won't have a heart attack, new research shows. In fact, high levels of one type of vitamin…

Consumer group again seeks U.S. ban of Meridia, weight loss drug

Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen on Wednesday renewed its call for U.S. regulators to ban Abbott Laboratories Inc.'s diet drug Meridia, saying it has been linked with more deaths.…

Dark, not milk, chocolate has more antioxidants

If you favour milk chocolate over the dark variety, you might be better off switching. Eating dark chocolate -- but not milk chocolate -- raises levels of antioxidant in the blood, which could…

Calcium protects against Montezuma's revenge

Getting enough calcium in your diet may protect you from traveler's diarrhea, scientists in the Netherlands report. And the calcium doesn't even need to come from milk -- taking it in…

Copper may play a role in Alzheimer's disease

How much copper you take in could influence your risk of Alzheimer's disease, U.S. researchers reported this month. Their studies have only been done in rabbits so far, but raise important…

Vitamin C may cut second-hand smoke damage

Vitamin C may help prevent the damage caused by second-hand tobacco smoke, offering a way for people to protect themselves from smokers in their lives. A small American study of 67 nonsmokers…

Vitamins C and E reduce effects of high cholesterol

Children and young adults who have inherited high cholesterol may reduce their risk of clogged arteries by taking vitamins C and E, researchers say. The vitamins improve blood flow through the…

Doubts raised on ephedra study

U.S. government scientists and outside experts have raised questions about a study that makers touted as evidence of the safety of weight-loss herb ephedra, according to documents made public…

Vitamin C pills may protect the heart

Adding a vitamin C pill to your diet may be a good way of preventing heart disease, new research from Boston suggests. Vitamin C has certain properties that, in theory, could protect the heart…

Red clover does not relieve hot flashes

Red clover extract, advertised as an alternative to hormone therapy, offered menopausal women no more relief from hot flashes than a placebo, according to a study published last week in the…

Can vitamins prevent pre-eclampsia?

Scientists have launched a study to determine whether vitamin supplements can prevent women from developing the serious complication of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. More than 2,000 pregnant…

Task force gives vitamins less than glowing review

There is insufficient scientific evidence to support the notion that taking certain vitamins will prevent heart disease or cancer, says the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. \"This is not…

Too much zinc raises prostate cancer risk

Men who take too much zinc may be raising their prostate cancer risk, say U.S. researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Compared with nonusers, men who took more than 100…

FDA warns Americans about dietary supplements

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned consumers against taking certain dietary supplements containing a prescription drug ingredient that could cause a sharp loss in blood…

Study finds antioxidants don't ward off heart disease

Antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamin E don't lower the risk of dying from heart disease, and beta-carotene may even slightly increase the risk, according to a new analysis of…

Iron-rich diet may raise risk of Parkinson's

High levels of dietary iron and manganese may raise the risk of Parkinson's disease, a new study shows. People who consumed high levels of iron and manganese were almost twice as likely to…

Plant estrogens don't ease hot flashes in breast cancer survivors

Breast cancer survivors often look to herbal remedies that contain plan estrogens to ease menopausal hot flashes because they cannot take hormone replacement therapy. But according to a new…

Beta-carotene supplements may promote colon polyps

Beta-carotene supplements appear to promote the recurrence of potentially pre-cancerous colon polyps in people who smoke and drink regularly, researchers reported last week. Their study is the…

Multivitamins may reduce risk of birth defects in diabetics

Regular use of multivitamins may reduce the risk of birth defects in infants born to mothers with diabetes, results of a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in…