Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle recently asked 1,300 men--half with and half without prostate cancer--what daily supplements they took. It turns out that vitamin E use was much more common among the men who didn't get prostate cancer. That suggests that vitamin E may help men stave off prostate cancer,a finding supported by other research, says study author Alan Kristal, DrPH (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Oct 1999).

Here's an action plan: You can't get enough vitamin E in food at the levels that many experts recommend, so a daily vitamin E supplement of 400 international units (IU) makes sense. (See "Vitamin E Debate: Is Natural Better?").

More supplement savvy: Zinc is another nutrient that may have a role in prostate cancer prevention. But a lot of so-called men's supplements contain more zinc than we know is safe (more than 30 milligrams [mg]). Dr. Kristal recommends sticking with the 15 mg of zinc found in most multivitamins.