A cancer dietician has revealed the supposedly healthy habit that could potentially increase your risk of contracting the disease.
Nichole Andrews, an expert in oncology nutrition as a registered dietitian and nutritionist, stated that she avoids taking supplements like vitamins and minerals as a precaution against cancer.
With a video on TikTok that has been viewed over 1 million times, she emphasized, “I don’t use supplements unless advised by my doctor; I rely solely on getting nutrients from the food I eat.”
‘Do not seek out supplements to reduce cancer risk because in fact high doses of supplements can increase cancer risk.’
Located in Washington, US, Nichole Andrews, aged 38, also known as ‘The Oncology Dietician’ on social media, refrained from specifying any particular supplements and their potential associations with cancer in the brief video.
However, the NHS warns that supplements containing beta-carotene can increase the risk of lung cancer in some people such as smokers and those who have been exposed to asbestos.
Beta-carotene is a natural pigment found in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes.
The body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is good for our immune system, vision and keeping skin healthy.
Nichole Andrews, a registered dietitian and nutritionist specialising in oncology, said supplements like vitamin and mineral pills were something she avoided to reduce her risk of cancer. Stock image
However, a study on almost 30,000 smokers found those who took beta-carotene supplements had almost a fifth higher risk of cancer than those that didn’t.
A study on people exposed to asbestos also found they had a 28 per cent higher risk of cancer if taking the supplements.
Critically, studies only observed this increased risk among people taking beta-carotene supplements — not those who consumed it naturally through a healthy diet.
Beta-carotene isn’t the only type of supplement linked to increased cancer risk.
An American analysis of another supplement, vitamin E, found use led to 17 per cent higher risk of prostate cancer in men.
Vitamin E is found naturally in nuts and seeds and helps keep the skin, eyes and immune system healthy.
Selenium supplements have been linked to a 130 per cent increased risk of death from prostate cancer, though this was a small study of men taking triple the daily recommended dose.
Selenium is a mineral naturally found in fish, meat, eggs as well as brazil nuts, and helps the immune system work properly and boost reproductive health.
Some studies have also shown a potential link between iron supplements and increased bowel cancer risk due to the mineral causing oxidative damage to cells.
Under NHS guidance, men should consume roughly 8.7mg of iron per day with women aged 19-49 recommended 14.8mg.
For women over 50, the health service advises 8.7mg given they have likely stopped having periods.
Iron tablets sold over-the-counter in pharmacies for as little as £2.50 often contain around 14mg per tablet.
Similar relationships with supplements and cancer risk have been found in some studies examining folate and folic acid risks, as well vitamin B12.
The relationship between cancer risk and supplements remains a topic of ongoing and research.
However, the general advice is that people should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals their body needs from a healthy, balanced diet.
Despite this almost half of Brits admit to taking a supplement at least once a month in the pursuit of achieving optimum health.
People who think they have a deficiency, and therefore may need to take supplements, are encouraged to speak to their GP for advice and potential tests.
As part of her post, Ms Andrews wrote: ‘Think twice before overloading on supplements.
‘Some studies suggest that excessive intake of certain vitamins and minerals may actually increase cancer risk and harm healthy cells.’
She also urged people to avoid alcohol and processed meats as her other two tips for things to skip daily to reduce the risk of cancer.
Alcohol is a known risk factor for seven types of cancer, including those of breast, mouth and bowel and is estimated it causes 3 per cent of all cancers in the UK.
Processed meats like bacon — specifically substances within them called nitrites and nitrates — are also known to be a well-established cause of cancer.
Cancer charity Cancer Research UK estimates almost one in six of the 45,000 bowel cancers diagnosed in the UK each year were caused by eating processed meat.
An estimated 385,000 Brits are told they cancer each year with about half the population estimated to get the disease at some point in their lifespan.
