Big US study will test vitamin D, fish oil

Big deal. The cure du jour and fish fat are getting a test.

"Two of the most popular and promising dietary supplements — vitamin D and fish oil — will be tested in a large, government-sponsored study to see whether either nutrient can lower a healthy person's risk of getting cancer, heart disease or having a stroke."

How have other cures du jour fared?

"'But we should be cautious before jumping on the bandwagon to take mega-doses of these supplements,' Manson warned. 'We know from history that many of these nutrients that looked promising in observational studies didn't pan out.'

Vitamins C, E, folic acid, beta carotene, selenium and even menopause hormone pills once seemed to lower the risk of cancer or heart disease — until they were tested in big studies that sometimes revealed risks instead of benefits.

In October, the government stopped a big study of vitamin E and selenium pills for prostate cancer prevention after seeing no evidence of benefit and hints of harm."

Oops.

We will just have to wait and see.