Dear Dr. Roach: I am a 68-year-old male who weighs 130 pounds and is 5 feet, 7 inches tall. I am in good shape and work out regularly. I had my prostate removed in 2023 after about six years of active surveillance, and I just finished radiation treatment.

I’ve taken vitamins for as long as I can remember. I take Centrum Silver multivitamins, fish oil, calcium, and vitamin D for osteoporosis. When doing some research, I read that selenium and vitamin E are not good to take if you have prostate cancer, and they are included in Centrum Silver. The fish oil had conflicting information, with some saying it was good and others saying it wasn’t good to take if you have prostate cancer.

Should I continue taking these vitamins, or should I stop? Could these have made my cancer worse? If I stop, should I wean off them or stop altogether? What are your recommendations on these vitamins/supplements affecting prostate cancer or my health in general? I would hate to think that taking them could do more harm than good. I eat very well (lots of fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish, and lean red meats). I drink green tea and lots of water to stay hydrated. — Anon.

Answer: Several supplements have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. The evidence is moderately strong with vitamin E. A large study designed to look for benefits had to be stopped by the safety committee, and an analysis showed a 17% increased risk of prostate cancer with vitamin E.

Some studies found an increase in prostate cancer risk with fish oil, while others didn’t. In my opinion, men with prostate cancer (or those who are at a high risk for it) should not take vitamin E. Unless you are clearly recommended fish oil based on your triglyceride level or for some other clinical indication, I don’t recommend it either.

Because your multivitamin contains vitamin E and selenium, another mineral that may increase prostate cancer risk, I recommend against it for any man with prostate cancer. There is no need to taper off it slowly.

As far as diet, a more plant-based diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats with limited intake of animal fats, processed meats and refined carbohydrates has been shown to improve outcomes among prostate cancer survivors. Lean meats are better than fatty ones, but I would still emphasize plants more. Green tea has speculated but unproven benefit.

Dear Dr. Roach My husband has a pacemaker. We have an induction stove, and his cardiologist was uncertain if it was safe for him to use it. So, he does not cook on the stovetop and stays clear when I am cooking.

Is it safe for him to use at least the back burners? When I am out of town or just not home, he is afraid to use the cooktop. I feel like at least the back burners should be at a sufficient distance to be safe. Do you know if it would be safe for him to use? He is 5 feet, 5 inches tall. Thank you. — V.S.

Answer: Induction cooking stoves use powerful electromagnets to create a magnetic field. Inside the metal of your cookware, this creates electronic currents, which dissipate heat through electric resistance. However, this powerful magnetic field can also “tell” your pacemaker to turn itself off or change its mode of activity. This is why it’s important to avoid strong magnetic fields when one has a pacemaker.

For an induction stovetop, the recommendation is to stay 2 feet away from the device while it’s turned on. This doesn’t mean that he can’t use it at all, just that he shouldn’t be touching the pot continuously and should be using the back burners, which will likely keep him the requisite distance away.