Antioxidants supplements, supplementing death?
I know many people have heard of the health benefits of antioxidants over the past years. Many supplements have been created to deliver a large dose of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E in pill form. These supplements claim to help you stay healthy by fighting free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that cause cellular damage within our bodies.
In this week’s Scientific American, an article about Antioxidants describes a study where scientists found that supplements actually increase the rate of mortality, instead of decreasing it. This is contrary to popular belief that antioxidant supplements actually help increase the life and health of a person. Subjects who had been taking the antioxidant supplements showed a five percent increase in mortality compared to the control group. The test did not include food items such as oranges or green tea, which contain antioxidants. Scientists were quoted as saying “by eliminating free radicals from our organism, we interfere with some essential defensive mechanism.” The article seems to provide an interesting view on antioxidants that hasn’t been shown in any other studies to this date.
I feel we understand that there must be a balance with what we consume. Antioxidants supplements might be too much of a good thing and cause the reverse effect. Some of the antioxidant supplements that I've seen contain amounts of antioxidants worth 60 cups of green tea. This just seems ridiculous. Just because something is good for doesn't mean that in an extremely high dosage it is better. Hopefully this study will show that not everything good for you is better in high dosages.
Posted by Chris
posted by PWH @ 3:34 PM
17 comments
17 Comments:
I completely agree with you that too much of a good thing may not be so good in the end. I find it interesting how companies promote having a certain substance in their product that's supposedly good for you, when in fact it causes more harm. How can companies and advertisements do this to people? It's not right.
Robyn Botelho
I found this blog very interesting because I feel like so many pills are being pushed on our society today in rder to "keep us healthy" but is it all really necessary? I found the results from this very similar to how many children are developing autism after having so many vaccinations, I know that this is not the proven result but I find that very interesting. I wish that the article went into more detail abut different kinds of supplements but overall I was very interested and thought it explained the situation very well.
This article is interesting. We've all heard of "too much of a good thing," but I don't think many people realize this applies to some of the foods and beverages that we consider healthful. I think most people assume that consuming larger doses of these foods and beverages will make them even healthier. I wonder, are antioxidants only harmful in extremely large doses? What is considered to be too much? Does this also apply to vitamin and mineral supplements that people take to stay healthy? I think these are interesting things to consider.
Sarah Benjamin
This was a really interesting post. Something that you mentioned that you might want to elaborate on is the natural antioxidants found in oranges and green teas. Are these also harmful or is it the artificial forms of antioxidants that are dangerous? I think you're getting at saying that it's the volume, not the product, but it would still be interesting to mention whether or not the study went any further on it. Overall, really attention-grabbing post! I know even a lot of moisturizers and sun screens now boast about having increased levels of antioxidants. You see it everywhere.
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I think that this is a great topic to post a blog about. I feel like every time I turn on the TV, listen to the radio, or go online there is always some means of commercialism trying to sell an enhancing supplement to burn fat, or increase longevity. Scientists should be more to help inform the public or the real truth about these drugs, how they can hurt you body. I like how you compared the supplement to green tea and how the amount of green tea you'd have to drink would be ridiculous to equal that of the supplement. I think that will help people realize how wrong the drug actually is.
This article was interesting. I was wondering if this idea was well known, or if this is just some random article. I agree that in general, too much of a good thing is not good. However I did not really understand the basis of this article. I would like to know more about how eliminating free radicals would interfere with some “essential defense mechanism.” The topic is appealing, I would like to know more about it!
Posted by KMellman
This is an interesting topic, but I must admit I am a bit skeptical about the findings. Did they in any way describe what flaw previous studies that proved the benefits of antioxidants had? Also, what were the specifics of the study - did the study only count people who died of natural causes or other causes? How long a period of time did the study take place over and what sort of controls were put into place to counteract the differences in people's health statuses? And finally, why weren't common food items rich in antioxidants included in the study? - was it only focusing on over the counter suplements or was it also focusing on natural antioxidants and suplements?
- Maija Cheung
This blog is very interesting and really makes you think. I myself have heard many times that antioxidants are very good for you. It is a new twist to hear that this may not be so, and that to many of them may actually be harmful to your health. What do you think could be a good solution to this problem? How can this information be advertised in order to let the public know?
I think this finding has potential value for further research. I just wanted to add little information I know from what I’ve learned in my “Psychology of Aging” class.
“Free radicals” are formed after chemical reactions with oxygen and unite with other molecules and interfere with their functioning and it is known that calorie restriction and antioxidants suppress this oxidative stress.
Free radical theory has been used to explain why our body functioning tapers down as people get older. It is one of the “random events theory,” which argues that random events, such as stress, waste product accumulation, and free radical formation can play a significant role in the process of aging besides the “programmed aging theory.” Telomere theory is a popular theory in supporting the “programmed aging theory,” which emphasizes the natural destiny of cell division. Telomere theory proposes that the cause of aging is due to the destruction of the ends of the chromosomes, creating defects in gene expression within cells that cause them to lose their ability to reproduce.
The point of argument in this article might need further research, for both reliability and validity. However, this new opinion on highly concentrated antioxidant supplements should be carefully and thoroughly examined since this is directly connected to public health issue.
Thanks for the information, Chris! I enjoyed your article!
Posted by clearsky83
This is a very intersting topic. Recently, many people, especially women are very interested in suppliments. I think some people do not have any doubt, and they depend on taking suppliments. So I agree with you that we need balance if we take suppliments. In addition, sellers of suppliments should state risk, and experts for these supplements should give us detailed information.
I really liked that article, because it shows what those companies are hiding. I think all those companies know the concequences of those suplements have in our metabolism and just choose not to say anything. People should just try to eat healthy i think , it is the best way to go. Suplements are a like a medicine that cures right away, but does not last long.
LYRS
I definitely agree that there has to be a limit on all things we put into our bodies. While a certain supplement may be good for us in small quanitites, a high level of anything can be a bad thing. I also feel that perhaps the only way to get these antioxidants should be naturally, straight from the food they are supposed to come from rather than from manufactured products. While I do not know too much about the background of this subject, it seems like the natural way is often the best way. If it is not possible to get high amounts by eating food that they come from, then perhaps our bodies were not meant to contain that much of it. Otherwise, people could get by eating nothing but a liquid diet and pill supplements and have no health problems, which is quite obviously impossible.
-Antonss6
I was compelled by this article b/c I feel that when I watch tv all that is ever on commercials are these antioxidants. Taking these antioxidants introduces the possibility of a dependency which could be very harmful to the body. I just wish that something could be done to stop the marketing of these supplements. This article was very well written and very interesting because its an article that everyone should read. The information is very important.
I found your post very interesting especially with all the pills and other supplements that are currently one the market. I agree with you about taking things in moderation, especially with something like supplements. Are the people taking these supplements taking higher dosages because they think it will help them, or are they taking it because they dont know how much of the supplement they should use?
yz
People usually think that the pills and supplements are helpful always but this blog shows that they are not. I think that it is becuase of placebo effect that why the people don't realize it is harmful. The companies and advertisement have to tell the truth or maybe stop selling. Hiding this truth would be danger.
Your article is very concise. It was very easy to read. The overall subject is interesting and it refers to everyone, especially to those people that are really into "vitamin-supplements". I think the take home message from your article is "take everything with limit" or "as prescribed".
Mike
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