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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A supplement many think of as harmless may actually increase the risk of prostate cancer. A new study suggests zinc supplementation may be dangerous for men.
According to research led by the National Institutes of Health involving nearly 47,000 men, about 15 percent of Americans use dietary supplements containing zinc. Ten percent of men who take zinc supplements have a higher than normal daily intake of the element. Additionally, the concentration of zinc is higher in the prostate than any other soft tissue. Researchers examined zinc intake and prostate cancer risk in nearly 47,000 men. Compared with men who did not take supplements, men who took more than 100 milligrams of zinc a day had more than twice the risk of advanced prostate cancer. Likewise, men who took it for 10 or more years also showed an increased risk. Among the men in the study group, supplemental zinc accounted for 32 percent of total intake.
The doctors suspect increased zinc supplementation may have coincided with decreased medical follow-up, which could ultimately have led to late detection of prostate cancer. Late detection often means advanced prostate cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, this year 189,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be detected.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2003;95:1004-1007
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