NZ Herald: Major research finds link between multi-vitamin pills and breast cancer

Lincoln Tan writes in the New Zealand Herald about new research suggesting there may be a link between multivitamin use and the increased risk of developing breast cancer in women.

The study looked at 35,000 women over a 10 year period, and found that women using multivitamins were 20% more likely to develop breast cancer, although the reasons for this are still unclear.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“Researchers at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm said a “biologically plausible” explanation is that supplements may trigger growth by increasing the density of breast tissue, which increases the risk of cancer. Folic acid, often present in multi-vitamins, may also accelerate tumour growth.

“Although the result was concerning, researchers said more in-depth investigation was needed as to whether or not multivitamins were safe.”