Personalization matters: the effect of sex in multivitamin-multimineral-based cancer prevention

The prevention of non-communicable diseases like cancer contributes to healthy aging. Dietary supplements might support such prevention; their effect likely depends on the personal characteristics of the individuals receiving them. To evaluate the influence of sex on reducing cancer incidence with multivitamin-multimineral (MVM) supplementation, sex-specific results of the efficacy of MVM supplementation for cancer prevention were collected and meta-analyzed (using fixed effect (FE) and random effect (RE) models). Three trials included in the US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement Report regarding Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplementation to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer were used, namely, COSMOS, SU.VI.MAX, and PHS2. A total of 28,558 men and 20,542 women were included. Multivitamin-multimineral supplementation significantly reduced cancer incidence in the entire population (HR 0.93 [95% CI, 0.88-0.99], FE and RE); sex-specific meta-analysis showed beneficial effects of supplementation in men (HR 0.91 [95% CI, 0.85-0.97] (FE)/0.88 [95% CI, 0.77-1.01] (RE)); however, there was no effect in women (HR 1.00 [95% CI, 0.88-1.14], FR and RE); (P-difference = 0.17). Sex could influence the effect of MVM supplementation in reducing cancer incidence, with supplementation being effective only in male individuals. These results might be informative for future research and public health policy makers.

Automated summary

Preventing non-communicable diseases is important for healthy aging, and dietary supplements can potentially support this prevention. However, the effectiveness of multivitamin-multimineral (MVM) supplementation in reducing cancer incidence seems to differ by gender, with positive effects observed in men but not in women.