A cold coming on. Feeling under the weather. One of the first things many of us do in such circumstances is take some Vitamin C. And not just Vitamin C. People are popping all sorts of vitamin supplements as never before: Vitamin A, B vitamins, beta carotene, and so many others. We are convinced it does us a lot of good, that the vitamins boost immunity and slow down or prevent the progression of all sorts of diseases, from common colds to even cancer and heart disease. But now comes a study from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark that says that vitamin supplements not only do nothing to prolong our lives but, in fact, could shorten them.
Who to believe? Those who say vitamin supplements are good or those who ring alarm bells? It is very confusing. Confusion too with cancer drugs. We hear of breakthroughs, then we hear scientists saying the opposite, that claims or new cancer treatments are exaggerated or do more harm than good. The statements leave people bewildered.
The confusion, however, says less about the quality of science than it does about human frailty. It is not a case of scientists speaking with forked tongues; rather it is a public unwillingness to listen to the complex stories they report. In fact, the dangers of vitamin excesses have long been known. An overdose of Vitamin B3 can result in liver damage, of Vitamin B6 in nerve damage, of Vitamin E in heart problems. The Danish study says nothing new. It simply says it more forcibly. But just as there have been few willing listeners in the past, especially in Western Europe and the US where around 20 percent of the population regularly take vitamin supplements — it is big business, worth billions of dollars — so too there will not be many now. Modern man wants to believe in the absolute efficacy of supplements just as he wants to believe in new miracle drugs for cancer; it is part of the secular-inspired hope that illness and death, if they cannot be wholly avoided, can be delayed as long as possible — and all thanks to science which, sadly, in the secular parts of today’s world has been elevated to the status of a religion.
Most scientists, however, are largely circumspect about their work. They carefully explain its limitations and complexities. Unfortunately, too many people do not want complicated answers. They want simple solutions. Confusion, however, is not always the listeners’ fault — as can be seen in the contradictory messages from scientists on global warming. Back in 2003 thousands of people in Europe died of heatstroke in one of the hottest summers in European memory. It led to predictions by scientists that hot summers would be the norm in future. In fact, summers have largely been a downpour since then. The scientists got it wrong — not about global warming but about its effects. Unfortunately, the error has enabled those who do not want to believe in global warming to ridicule the scientists and ignore the warning. That is much more serious than confusion over vitamins.
