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monitoring the influence of diet on long term health. It is
believed betacarotene may be largely responsible for the health-
keeping benefits of a diet high i fruit and vegetables. The
national cancer institute is finally devoting a share of their
"war on cancer" to prevention instead of just chemotherapy.
There are now 14 separate cancer prevention trials with
betacarotene to investigate several types of cancer including
Lung, colon, Oesophagus, skin etc.
In a physicians health study, which involved 22,000 health
professionals, investigations were made into cancer and
cardiovascular disease in groups, with one group taking low dose
aspirin (an antioxidant) and another group taking betacarotene,
in the 330 physicians with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.
They found that betacarotene on its own reduced the risk of a
major cardiovascular event as much as the aspirin, but without
the risk of drug addiction. The full body studies of
betacarotene should be out by the end of 1995.
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