So far, it was widely believed that vitamins C and E help reduce the risk of developing heart diseases. Consequently, many people started taking these vitamins on an almost daily basis, as nutritional supplements. Their hopes and the myth were backed-up by several scientific studies, which did indeed show that an intake of vitamins C and E protect you from heart disease. However, a long-term trial wrapped up recently has proven that supplements of vitamins C and E do not have a stronger effect on a patient than a placebo has.

The extensive study consisted of about 14,600 male physicians, which were divided into four groups of approximately 3,600 each. The first group was given 400 international unites of vitamin E every other day and 500 milligrams of vitamin C every day. The second group was given the same amount of vitamin E every other day, but a placebo instead of vitamin C daily.

The third group was given placebos instead of vitamin E, but real vitamin C, and the last group were given placebos instead of both vitamins. The study was double-blind, meaning that neither the scientists nor the subjects knew which group took what type of supplements.
The study lasted for eight years, at the end of which it was noticed that the groups had similar results when analyzing heart attacks, strokes, congestive heart failures or angina.

Published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, on November 12th, the extensive 8-yar study was funded in part by the German pharmaceutical company BASF, which has vitamins among its products. Currently, scientists are conducting a study which will assess the results that taking a multivitamin has on the chances of developing heart diseases.