3. Dietary supplements won’t help lower the risk of cancer.
Many of us may think that taking dietary supplements will lower the risk of cancer, on top of helping us get other nutrients we may be lacking. However, the marketing claims against cancer have not likely been proven yet, because no proof shows that multivitamins help reduce your risk of cancer. It’s also important to remember to talk with your doctor before adding supplements or herbs to your diet. You could be putting yourself at risk for new health problems when making extreme changes to your diet quickly.
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that you do not take vitamin E or beta carotene to help prevent cancer. People who smoke or have a high risk for lung cancer should not take beta carotene at all. That is because it can increase the risk of lung cancer. That is why it is imperative to speak with your doctor about adding any supplements to your daily diet before doing so. So that they can make sure you are making a healthy and safe decision.
