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Vitamins and other food supplements taken by millions of women may actually put them at more risk, according to a major study.
Scientists say there is little evidence the pills do any good – and in fact some could be causing serious harm.
A study involving nearly 39,000 women has found multivitamins, vitamin B, folic acid, iron, magnesium and copper all increased the statistical risk of premature death.
Nearly a third of adults in Britain take some form of dietary supplement most days and the industry is worth £675million a year.
Some of the most popular pills include multivitamins, vitamin A, C and E, iron, folic acid and calcium – which are all thought to improve long-term health and ward off illnesses.
Scientists from Finland, Norway, the U.S. and South Korea looked at the long-term health effects of common vitamin pills and minerals on 38,772 women aged 55 to 69.
Over an 18-year period the women recorded any supplements they regularly took.
The results, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found copper increased the risk of dying prematurely by 18 per cent. Folic acid – which pregnant women are told to take to protect their child against spina bifida – increased risk of death by almost 6 per cent, while iron raised the risk by nearly 4 per cent.
Multivitamins raised the risk by 2.4 per cent, vitamin B6 by 4 per cent, magnesium by 3.6 per cent and zinc by 3 per cent.
The scientists do not fully understand how supplements may trigger early death, but they may interfere with the body’s natural defences. They say the supplements should only be taken by patients who are malnourished and only under the supervision of a doctor. Everyone else should ensure they eat a balanced diet to get adequate vitamins and minerals.
Jaakko Mursu, from the University of Eastern Finland, said: ‘Based on existing evidence, we see little justification for the general and widespread use of dietary supplements.
‘We recommend that they be used with strong medically-based cause, such as symptomatic nutrient deficiency disease.
参考译文：
最新研究表明，数百万女性经常服用的维生素及膳食补充制剂很可能有害健康。
科学家表示，没有证据表明这些制剂对健康有益，而且实际上有些制剂还可能损害健康。
一项针对近3.9万名女性的研究发现，从统计数据来看，多种维生素制剂、B族维生素、叶酸、以及铁、镁、铜等矿物元素都会增加过早死亡的风险。
英国近1/3的成年人经常服用某种膳食补充剂，该产业年产值达6.75亿英镑。
最受欢迎的包括多种维生素、维生素A、C、E，铁、叶酸、和钙等制剂，据称有利于长期健康，还可以预防疾病。
来自芬兰、挪威、美国和韩国的科学家研究了普通维生素和矿物元素制剂的长期健康效果，共有38772名年龄在55岁至69岁的女性接受了调查。
在调查的18年中，受访女性记录了她们服用的所有补充制剂。
研究发现，铜元素会使过早死亡的风险增加18%，叶酸和铁元素分别会使这一风险增加近6%和近4%。为预防新生儿脊柱裂，孕妇需服用叶酸。研究结果发表在《内科医学档案》上。
多种维生素制剂会使过早死亡的风险增加2.4%，维生素B6会使风险增加4%，镁和锌分别会使这一风险增加3.6%和3%。
科学家尚不完全清楚维生素制剂导致过早死亡的原因，但这些制剂会妨碍人体的自然抵抗力。科学家表示，只有那些营养不良的病人才需要服用这种制剂，而且需要医生指导。其他人应该确保均衡饮食，从食物中获得足够的维生素和矿物质。
东芬兰大学的贾科•玛苏说：“从现有证据来看，不应大范围应用膳食补充剂。”
“除非有明显的病因，比如营养缺乏症，否则我们不建议服用膳食补充剂。”
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