Long-term use of supplemental multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate does not reduce the risk of lung cancer.

Study answer

What this study found

Long-term use of supplemental multivitamins, vitamin C, and folate was not associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer. Supplemental vitamin E showed a small, dose-dependent increase in risk, strongest among current smokers and for NSCLC; HR 1.05 per 100 mg/day (95% CI 1.00–1.09; P=0.03); after adjusting for dietary vitamin E, HR 1.04 (95% CI 1.00–1.09; P=0.08). For NSCLC, HR 1.07 per 100 mg/day (95% CI 1.02–1.12; P=0.01). At 400 mg/day for 10 years, risk ≈28% higher. Current smokers in the highest vitamin E dose category had HR 1.59 (95% CI 1.05–2.41). No significant associations for…

Study & population

Design: prospective cohort (VITAL).

Intervention

10-year average daily intake of oral supplements: multivitamins (pills/week), vitamin C (mg/day), vitamin E (mg/day), and folate (mg/day); duration prior to baseline: 10 years.

Key limitation

Observational design with potential residual confounding; self-reported supplement use may lead to exposure misclassification; predominantly white cohort with fewer current smokers, limiting generalizability; limited power to detect small risk differences (≥30%); nonrandomized.

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Original abstract