After 11 years of follow-up, compared to those who did not take supplements, those who were regularly taking antioxidant-rich vitamins, such as vitamin A, C, E, and their combinations, when the study started were 42 percent less likely to have died from any cause and 48 percent less likely to have died from cancer.
There were several differences between supplement users and non-users. Those who took supplements tended to be more physically active, have a healthier diet that included more fruits, vegetables and milk, and less meat and processed meat products, and were more likely to be college-educated older women.