The Study
The effect of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers.
This study gave different pills to thousands of men who smoked and watched what happened over many years. It found that one pill (beta carotene) made more men get lung cancer — so we can say it probably caused that harm. But it didn’t prove why, or if it would affect other people.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists tested if taking daily vitamin pills (beta-carotene or vitamin E) could stop smokers from getting lung cancer.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 574 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — for every 100 smokers taking beta-carotene, about 2 extra deaths from lung cancer or heart disease occurred over 6 years.
- 2Smokers who took 20 mg of beta-carotene daily got 18% more lung cancer and 8% more deaths overall.
- 3Vitamin E didn't help prevent lung cancer and caused more deadly brain bleeds.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The New England journal of medicine
Year
1994
Authors
O. Heinonen, D. Albanes
Related Content
Claims (6)
In male smokers aged 50 to 69, taking beta carotene supplements for 5 to 8 years results in an 8% higher death rate compared to not taking them, with more deaths from lung cancer and ischemic heart disease.
In male smokers aged 50 to 69, taking alpha-tocopherol supplements is linked to more cases of hemorrhagic stroke and more deaths than taking a placebo.
Taking beta carotene supplements does not change the rate of cancers (except lung cancer) in male smokers between the ages of 50 and 69 over 5 to 8 years.
In male smokers aged 50 to 69, taking 20 mg of beta carotene daily for 5 to 8 years results in an 18% higher rate of lung cancer and an 8% higher rate of death from any cause compared to taking a placebo.
Taking 50 mg of alpha-tocopherol daily for 5 to 8 years does not change the rate of lung cancer in male smokers aged 50 to 69.
Smokers who take high-dose beta-carotene supplements have a higher rate of developing lung cancer than smokers who do not.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.