The Controversy About The Effect Of Antioxidant Vitamins In The Prevention Of Cardiovascular Diseases
Keywords:
antioxidant vitamins, vitamin supplementation, cardiovascular diseasesAbstract
The hypothesis of an action of antioxidant vitamins in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases has been extensively investigated. Until the early 1990s, the set of data derived from analytical observational studies reinforced this hypothesis: a high intake of beta-carotene and/or vitamins C and E was associated with a lower occurrence of cardiovascular events. However, results from randomized intervention studies with supplements of these vitamins and some more recent observational studies have not confirmed previous findings. This review brings together data from the literature published between 1990 and 2003 - restricted to case-control, cohort and randomized intervention studies related to primary prevention - and analyzes the controversial situation that has arisen around the issue, seeking to define The current state of knowledge about the relationship between antioxidant vitamins and cardiovascular diseases. There is still no consensus among members of the scientific community and the results of ongoing studies are awaited, but the initial hypothesis is no longer considered promising and supplementation with antioxidant vitamins is not recommended.
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