But now it seems that very high doses of antioxidants including vitamins C and E can increase the likelihood of genetic abnormalities in cells, which in turn can cause cancer. The researchers from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute specifically stated that the risk of cancer is associated with antioxidant supplements and not the antioxidants found naturally in foods.
What’s very interesting about the discovery is the fact that it was made by accident. In the study, the researchers were working with human stem cells and searching for a way to reduce naturally occurring genetic abnormalities. In looking for ways to prevent the abnormalities, they added high levels of antioxidants to the cells, only to find that it actually exacerbated the problems and caused more abnormalities.
Taking one multi-vitamin is not dangerous to your health, but many people take more in an attempt to ramp up the health benefits. But if you find yourself taking more than ten times the recommended daily intake you could be making your cells more likely to develop cancer. This supports the idea that more is not always better.
Previous studies have been ambiguous in defining whether supplements are useful in preventing cancer. Some research has indicated that small doses can help prevent or treat cancer, while some has suggested that they have no noticeable benefit. This study could mean more research is required to look at the affect high doses of antioxidants can have on the body.