 | |
| Product type | Multivitamins |
|---|---|
| Owner | Haleon |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1978 |
| Previous owners | |
| Website | www |
Centrum is an American brand of multivitamins produced by Haleon. It was previously owned by Pfizer (formerly Wyeth) and GSK. [1]
 | This section may be too technical for most readers to understand.(January 2013) |
In 2012, the Physicians' Health Study II (PHS-II) found that participants who took a Centrum-brand multivitamin each day for an average of 11 years had no change in cancer mortality or cardiovascular disease mortality compared to the placebo group. The authors did find a slight reduction in cancer incidence although this conclusion was questioned in the Journal of the American Medical Association . [2]
On October 17, 2012, researchers reported on a double-blind study of 14,641 male U.S. physicians initially aged 50 years or older (mean age of 64.3, standard deviation 9.2 years), that began in 1997 with treatment and follow-up through June 1, 2011. They compared total cancer (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer) for participants taking a daily multivitamin (Centrum Silver by Pfizer) versus placebo. Compared with placebo, men taking a daily multivitamin had a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of total cancer, with a hazard ratio (HR) = 0.92 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-0.998; P = .04). No statistically significant effects were found for any specific cancers or cancer mortality. The 95% CI of the hazard ratio implied a benefit of between 14% and .2% over placebo. In absolute terms the difference was 1.3 cancer diagnoses, per 1000 years of life (18.3-17 events, respectively). The median follow up time was 11.2 years. [3] The paper's co-principal investigator, Dr. J. Michael Gaziano, a cardiologist, was quoted by The New York Times as saying "it certainly appears there is a modest reduction in the risk of cancer from a typical multivitamin." [4] The study was also featured in The Wall Street Journal on October 17, 2012. [5]
An editorial in the same issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), reflecting the opinion of JAMA, was dismissive of the report on several counts. First, they said, "it seems unlikely that a common characteristic across all diseases included under this wide category of cancer would be a protective effect from multivitamins", suggesting if no specific cancer was effected, why would general cancer risk be so affected. Second, they questioned the study's abilities to deliver on the question of whether a multivitamin would be protective in a well-nourished population (Bayesian probability) stating: "The plausibility of a protective effect is reduced by the absence of a clear path through which 30 different vitamins and minerals would cause a decline in the risk of multiple cancers and, especially, by the negative pattern of prior results." In addition the investigators observed no difference in effect whether the study participants were or were not adherent to the multivitamin intervention, which diminishes the dose–response relationship. [2]
The editorial was critical of the statistical multiplicity (multiple comparisons): the complete planned analysis of the primary and secondary end points in the PHS II study would entail 28 tests of association; each of which has "some possibility of yielding a statistically significant result by chance alone, even when there is no true treatment effect. [...] when this finding is considered in the context of the number of already completed and planned analyses of the same study, the strength of the inference is weaker, because the likelihood of a randomly occurring finding [...] is much greater." They concluded that any of the conventional P value corrections for multiple comparisons would eliminate the apparent "statistical significance" of the results. [2]
From the same double-blind study, they found that taking a daily multivitamin did not have any effect in reducing heart attacks and other major cardiovascular events, MI, stroke, and CVD mortality. [6]
Incomplete list of the nutritional facts for each type of Centrum brand vitamin:
| Vitamin | micrograms (mcg) | milligrams (mg) | grams (g) | Daily Value (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 1,050 | 1.05 | 0.00105 | 117 (29% as β-Carotene) |
| Vitamin C | 90,000 | 90 | 0.09 | 100 |
| Vitamin D3 | 25 | 0.025 | 0.000025 | 125 |
| Vitamin E | 20,300 | 20.3 | 0.0203 | 135 |
| Vitamin K | 60 | 0.060 | 0.000006 | 50 |
| Thiamin | 1,200 | 1.2 | 0.0012 | 100 |
| Riboflavin | 1,300 | 1.3 | 0.0013 | 100 |
| Niacin | 16,000 | 16 | 0.016 | 100 |
| Vitamin B6 | 2,000 | 2 | 0.002 | 118 |
| Folate | 333 | 0.333 | 0.000333 | 83 |
| Vitamin B12 | 6 | 0.006 | 0.00006 | 250 |
| Biotin | 40 | 0.04 | 0.0004 | 133 |
| Pantothenic Acid | 15,000 | 15 | 0.015 | 300 |
| Calcium | 210,000 | 210 | 0.21 | 16 |
| Iron | 8,000 | 8 | 0.008 | 44 |
| Phosphorus | 20,000 | 20 | 0.02 | 2 |
| Iodine | 150 | 0.15 | 0.00015 | 100 |
| Magnesium | 100,000 | 100 | 0.1 | 24 |
| Zinc | 11,000 | 11 | 0.01 | 100 |
| Selenium | 100 | 0.1 | 0.0001 | 182 |
| Copper | 900 | 0.9 | 0.0009 | 100 |
| Manganese | 2,300 | 2.3 | 0.0023 | 100 |
| Chromium | 35 | 0.035 | 0.000035 | 100 |
| Molybdenum | 50 | 0.05 | 0.00005 | 111 |
| Chloride | 7,2000 | 72 | 0.072 | 3 |
| Potassium | 8,000 | 80 | 0.08 | 2 |
| Lycopene | 600 | 0.6 | 0.0006 | NE |
NE = Not Established
| Vitamin | micrograms (mcg) | milligrams (mg) | grams (g) | Daily Value (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 1,050 | 1.05 | 0.00105 | 117 (29% as β-Carotene) |
| Vitamin C | 75,000 | 75 | 0.075 | 83 |
| Vitamin D3 | 25 | 0.025 | 0.000025 | 125 |
| Vitamin E | 15,800 | 15.8 | 0.0203 | 105 |
| Vitamin K | 50 | 0.050 | 0.000005 | 42 |
| Thiamin | 1,100 | 1.1 | 0.0011 | 92 |
| Riboflavin | 1,100 | 1.1 | 0.0011 | 85 |
| Niacin | 14,000 | 14 | 0.014 | 88 |
| Vitamin B6 | 2,000 | 2 | 0.002 | 118 |
| Folate | 667 | 0.667 | 0.000667 | 167 |
| Vitamin B12 | 6 | 0.006 | 0.00006 | 250 |
| Biotin | 40 | 0.04 | 0.0004 | 133 |
| Pantothenic Acid | 15,000 | 15 | 0.015 | 300 |
| Calcium | 200,000 | 200 | 0.20 | 15 |
| Iron | 18,000 | 18 | 0.018 | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 20,000 | 20 | 0.02 | 2 |
| Iodine | 150 | 0.15 | 0.00015 | 100 |
| Magnesium | 100,000 | 100 | 0.1 | 24 |
| Zinc | 8,000 | 8 | 0.08 | 24 |
| Selenium | 18 | 0.018 | 0.0000018 | 33 |
| Copper | 00 | 0.5 | 0.0005 | 56 |
| Manganese | 1,800 | 1.8 | 0.0018 | 78 |
| Chromium | 32 | 0.032 | 0.000032 | 91 |
| Molybdenum | 50 | 0.05 | 0.00005 | 111 |
| Chloride | 7,2000 | 72 | 0.072 | 3 |
| Potassium | 8,000 | 80 | 0.08 | 2 |
| Vitamin | micrograms (mcg) | milligrams (mg) | grams (g) | Daily Value (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 1,050 | 1.05 | 0.00105 | 117 (29% as β-Carotene) |
| Vitamin C | 60,000 | 60 | 0.06 | 67 |
| Vitamin D3 | 25 | 0.025 | 0.000025 | 125 |
| Vitamin E | 13,500 | 13.5 | 0.0135 | 90 |
| Vitamin K | 25 | 0.025 | 0.0000025 | 21 |
| Thiamin | 1,500 | 1.5 | 0.0015 | 125 |
| Riboflavin | 1,700 | 1.7 | 0.0017 | 100 |
| Niacin | 20,000 | 20 | 0.020 | 125 |
| Vitamin B6 | 2,000 | 2 | 0.002 | 118 |
| Folate | 667 | 0.667 | 0.000667 | 167 |
| Vitamin B12 | 6 | 0.006 | 0.00006 | 250 |
| Biotin | 30 | 0.03 | 0.0003 | 100 |
| Pantothenic Acid | 10,000 | 10 | 0.010 | 200 |
| Calcium | 200,000 | 200 | 0.20 | 15 |
| Iron | 18,000 | 18 | 0.0018 | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 20,000 | 20 | 0.02 | 2 |
| Iodine | 150 | 0.15 | 0.00015 | 100 |
| Magnesium | 50,000 | 50 | 0.050 | 12 |
| Zinc | 11,000 | 11 | 0.01 | 100 |
| Selenium | 55 | 0.055 | 0.000055 | 100 |
| Copper | 500 | 0.5 | 0.0005 | 56 |
| Manganese | 2,300 | 2.3 | 0.0023 | 100 |
| Chromium | 35 | 0.035 | 0.000035 | 100 |
| Molybdenum | 45 | 0.045 | 0.000045 | 100 |
| Chloride | 7,2000 | 72 | 0.072 | 3 |
| Potassium | 8,000 | 80 | 0.08 | 2 |
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to reduce pain, fever, and/or inflammation, and as an antithrombotic. Specific inflammatory conditions which aspirin is used to treat include Kawasaki disease, pericarditis, and rheumatic fever.
Vitamin E is a group of eight fat soluble compounds that include four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Vitamin E deficiency, which is rare and usually due to an underlying problem with digesting dietary fat rather than from a diet low in vitamin E, can cause nerve problems. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant which may help protect cell membranes from reactive oxygen species. Worldwide, government organizations recommend adults consume in the range of 3 to 15 mg per day. As of 2016, consumption was below recommendations according to a worldwide summary of more than one hundred studies that reported a median dietary intake of 6.2 mg per day for alpha-tocopherol. Foods rich in vitamin E include seeds and nuts, seed oils, peanut butter, and vitamin E-fortified foods, such as margarine.
Tocopherols are a class of organic compounds comprising various methylated phenols, many of which have vitamin E activity. Because the vitamin activity was first identified in 1936 from a dietary fertility factor in rats, it was named tocopherol, from Greek τόκοςtókos 'birth' and φέρεινphérein 'to bear or carry', that is 'to carry a pregnancy', with the ending -ol signifying its status as a chemical alcohol.
A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement a person's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources, or that are synthetic. The classes of nutrient compounds in supplements include vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, and amino acids. Dietary supplements can also contain substances that have not been confirmed as being essential to life, and so are not nutrients per se, but are marketed as having a beneficial biological effect, such as plant pigments or polyphenols. Animals can also be a source of supplement ingredients, such as collagen from chickens or fish for example. These are also sold individually and in combination, and may be combined with nutrient ingredients. The European Commission has also established harmonized rules to help insure that food supplements are safe and appropriately labeled.
Statins are a class of medications that reduce illness and mortality in people who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. They are the most commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Orthomolecular medicine is a form of alternative medicine that claims to maintain human health through nutritional supplementation. It is rejected by evidence-based medicine. The concept builds on the idea of an optimal nutritional environment in the body and suggests that diseases reflect deficiencies in this environment. Treatment for disease, according to this view, involves attempts to correct "imbalances or deficiencies based on individual biochemistry" by use of substances such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements and fatty acids. The notions behind orthomolecular medicine are not supported by sound medical evidence, and the therapy is not effective for chronic disease prevention; even the validity of calling the orthomolecular approach a form of medicine has been questioned since the 1970s.
The long-term effects of alcohol have been extensively researched. The health effects of long-term alcohol consumption on health vary depending on the amount consumed. Even light drinking poses health risks, but atypically small amounts of alcohol may have health benefits. Alcoholism causes severe health consequences which outweigh any potential benefits.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, carditis, aortic aneurysms, peripheral artery disease, thromboembolic disease, and venous thrombosis.
The Heart Protection Study was a randomized controlled trial run by the Clinical Trial Service Unit, and funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in the United Kingdom. It studied the use of the cholesterol lowering drug, simvastatin 40 mg and vitamin supplementation in people who were at risk of cardiovascular disease. It was led by Jane Armitage, an epidemiologist at the Clinical Trial Service Unit.
A multivitamin is a preparation intended to serve as a dietary supplement with vitamins, dietary minerals, and other nutritional elements. Such preparations are available in the form of tablets, capsules, pastilles, powders, liquids, or injectable formulations. Other than injectable formulations, which are only available and administered under medical supervision, multivitamins are recognized by the Codex Alimentarius Commission as a category of food.
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was a clinical trial sponsored by the National Eye Institute that ran from 1992 to 2001. The study was designed to:
The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was a series of clinical studies initiated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1991, to address major health issues causing morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women. It consisted of three clinical trials (CT) and an observational study (OS). In particular, randomized controlled trials were designed and funded that addressed cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.
Sir Richard Peto is an English statistician and epidemiologist who is Professor of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology at the University of Oxford, England.
Megavitamin therapy is the use of large doses of vitamins, often many times greater than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) in the attempt to prevent or treat diseases. Megavitamin therapy is typically used in alternative medicine by practitioners who call their approach orthomolecular medicine. Vitamins are useful in preventing and treating illnesses specifically associated with dietary vitamin shortfalls, but the conclusions of medical research are that the broad claims of disease treatment by advocates of megavitamin therapy are unsubstantiated by the available evidence. It is generally accepted that doses of any vitamin greatly in excess of nutritional requirements will result either in toxicity or in the excess simply being metabolised; thus evidence in favour of vitamin supplementation supports only doses in the normal range. Critics have described some aspects of orthomolecular medicine as food faddism or even quackery. Research on nutrient supplementation in general suggests that some nutritional supplements might be beneficial, and that others might be harmful; several specific nutritional therapies are associated with an increased likelihood of the condition they are meant to prevent.
Androgen replacement therapy (ART), often referred to as testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), is a form of hormone therapy in which androgens, often testosterone, are supplemented or replaced. It typically involves the administration of testosterone through injections, skin creams, patches, gels, pills, or subcutaneous pellets. ART is often prescribed to counter the effects of male hypogonadism.
The obesity paradox is the finding in some studies of a lower mortality rate for overweight or obese people within certain subpopulations. The paradox has been observed in people with cardiovascular disease and cancer. Explanations for the paradox range from excess weight being protective to the statistical association being caused by methodological flaws such as confounding, detection bias, reverse causality, or selection bias.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also known as menopausal hormone therapy or postmenopausal hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy used to treat symptoms associated with female menopause. Effects of menopause can include symptoms such as hot flashes, accelerated skin aging, vaginal dryness, decreased muscle mass, and complications such as osteoporosis, sexual dysfunction, and vaginal atrophy. They are mostly caused by low levels of female sex hormones that occur during menopause.
The JUPITER trial was a clinical trial aimed at evaluating whether statins reduce heart attacks and strokes in people with normal cholesterol levels.
The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, or SELECT, was a clinical trial conducted with the goal of determining whether vitamin E and selenium supplements could prevent prostate cancer. Enrollment for the trial began in 2001 and ended in 2004. It cost approximately $114 million to conduct and was performed at over 400 different research centers. It was primarily funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and was carried out by SWOG. It was stopped early because the supplements did not show any benefit in preventing prostate cancer. Subsequent research based on the trial has generally found that selenium and vitamin E do not prevent prostate cancer. Other research based on foods rich in selenium or Vitamin E, not supplements, suggests that there is limited evidence such foods may protect against some forms of cancer.
| Brands | |
|---|---|
| People |
|
| Related | |
