Brigham study to test vitamin D, fish oil supplements
Boston researchers are launching a large, national trial of vitamin D and fish oil to see whether the dietary supplements reduce the risk of developing cancer or cardiovascular disease. They are also testing the idea that lower levels of vitamin D might explain higher rates of these diseases among African-Americans.
Dr. JoAnn Manson and Dr. Julie Buring, both of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, hope to enroll 20,000 healthy older people in the $20 million study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
One quarter of the participants will be black. The researchers believe higher rates of cancer, heart disease, and stroke among blacks, compared with whites, might be related to dark skin’s lower ability to make vitamin D from absorbing sunlight, and they want to establish whether taking vitamin D supplements could reduce or eliminate these disparities.
“African-Americans have a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency and a greater frequency of certain types of cancer and diabetes and hypertension, so I think that it will be of great importance to look at whether something as simple as taking a vitamin D supplement can narrow these health gaps,’’ said Manson, who believes the study is one of the first large-scale randomized trials to target a specific group at higher risk for a deficiency of nutrients. “It would be wonderful if something as simple as a vitamin D pill could narrow that health gap.’’
Women over 65 and men over 60 with no history of cancer or cardiovascular disease will be randomly assigned into four groups.
Some will take daily pills with about 2,000 international units of vitamin D and about 1 gram of fish oil. Others will take pills containing no active ingredients. In the two other groups, participants will get one of the supplements and one placebo.
“I think it’s important to be cautiously optimistic and not jump on the bandwagon to take megadoses of supplements before a clinical trial helps to clarify their role,’’ Manson cautioned. “There have been high hopes for many other nutrients and supplements in the past, and the enthusiasm has dampened once these interventions are studied rigorously.’’
Vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, folic acid, selenium, and other supplements have looked promising for disease prevention, but their benefits have not been borne out in large trials, and some risk has been found with high levels.
Recruitment of participants will begin in January. Treatment will last five years. Participants will not need to travel to Boston because study forms and pills will be mailed, according to www.vitalstudy.org, the website for the study, 