Journal
KOREAN JOURNAL OF FAMILY MEDICINE
Volume 35, Issue 6, Pages 278-285Publisher
KOREAN ACAD FAMILY MEDICINE
DOI: 10.4082/kjfm.2015.36.6.278
Keywords
Vitamin C; Ascorbic Acid; Cancer; Randomized Controlled Trials; Meta-Analysis
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Background: Previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported inconsistent findings regarding the association between vitamin C supplementation and the risk of cancer. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of RCTs to investigate the efficacy of vitamin C supplements for prevention of cancer. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases in November 2014 using common keywords related to vitamin C supplements and cancer. Results: Among 785 articles, a total of seven trials were identified, which included 62,619 participants; 31,326 and 31,293 were randomized to vitamin C supplementation and control or placebo groups, respectively, which were included in the final analysis. A fixed-effects meta-analysis of all seven RCTs revealed no significant association between vitamin C supplementation and cancer (relative risk, 1.00; 95% confidence intervals, 0.95-1.05). Similarly, subgroup meta-analysis by dose of vitamin C administered singly or in combination with other supplements, follow-up period, methodological quality, cancer mortality, gender, smoking status, country, and type of cancer also showed no efficacy of vitamin C supplementation for cancer prevention. Conclusion: This meta-analysis shows that there is no evidence to support the use of vitamin C supplements for prevention of cancer.
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