Zinc and prostate cancer

The dietary supplement business is a multibillion-dollar industry. You can buy supplements in virtually every supermarket and drugstore in America, to say nothing of the growing number of health food stores and "body shops" that specialize in them. The array is bewildering, and dramatic health claims and testimonials add to the confusion — and the temptation. But despite their variety, supplements have two things in common: Few have been studied scientifically, and none is regulated by the FDA.

A large number of supplements are sold to protect the prostate and promote its healthy function. Many contain zinc. About 15% of all Americans take supplements that contain zinc — and many men who take them are getting much more zinc than recommended.