Common wisdom encourages everyone to take vitamins daily. I often resist common wisdom. I knew of no data supporting vitamin supplements, and felt that I ate a balanced diet. This article suggests that I may be correct.
Vitamins ‘may shorten your life’
A review of 67 studies found “no convincing evidence” that antioxidant supplements cut the risk of dying.
Scientists at Copenhagen University said vitamins A and E could interfere with the body’s natural defences.
“Even more, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E seem to increase mortality,” according to the review by the respected Cochrane Collaboration.
The research involved selecting various studies from 817 on beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium which the team felt were the most likely to fairly reflect the benefits of the supplements.
So I will eschew vitamin supplements for a few more years. NNT the author of Black Swan probably enjoys this story, because it shows the triumph of empiric data rather than theory.