The study began in 2001, when about 9,000 men started taking either 400 international units of vitamin E, 200 micrograms of selenium, vitamin E and selenium together or a placebo pill. In late 2008, when researchers discovered an increased risk of prostate cancer in those taking just vitamin E, they halted the study but continued to monitor the men.
By mid-2011, seven percent of men who had taken just vitamin E had developed prostate cancer, while six percent of the men who had been taking placebo pills had developed prostate cancer. Researchers are hesitant to say vitamin E increases risk of prostate cancer but recommend that more research be done.
Related Articles on Prostate Cancer:
Tool Determines Risk of Death of Prostate Cancer Patients After Radiation
Federal Preventive Health Panel Recommends Against Prostate Cancer Screening
Researchers to Test Link Between Protein and Prostate Cancer
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