By Michaela Shoberg, M.S.
We have all heard of free radicals and the damage that they can cause the cells of our body, but what are they, where do they come from and what can we do to protect ourselves? Free radicals essentially take electrons from any available substance (in this case, cell), which can leave the “loser’s” structure depleted and altered. Some of these free radicals come from human function. Digestion, for example, generates free radical as byproduct. Others are in the air we breathe, certain foods we eat and the reaction of sunlight on our skin. Free radicals are important when looking at disease development since certain chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, cancer, vision loss and arthritis have been linked to these pesky free radicals. Antioxidants are the body’s natural defense to the effects of free radicals; they donate their electrons without ill effect. We make antioxidants and extract them from the foods that we eat. So antioxidants are good. Right? Unfortunately it’s not that simple. The term antioxidant is vague and infers that all antioxidants are created equal when in fact, each antioxidant is unique in behavior and biological property.
In simple terms we need antioxidants, especially vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin E for normal function, but they are probably not the miracle cure that media and supplement industries have made them out to be. A healthy diet that includes naturally occurring antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help prevent many diseases, but supplements do not seem to have the same outcome. Studies on antioxidant supplements and disease prevention have been mostly negative. High doses of vitamin E, beta-carotene and vitamin C have not shown to have any effect on heart disease, stroke or cancer risk. There have been a few studies that actually see higher cancer rates in groups on high doses of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
The bottom line: more research is needed, but antioxidants are most likely not the simple fix to chronic disease, especially when they are taken out of their natural environment. While waiting for the research on supplements to come to a definitive conclusion, a diet rich in complex antioxidant complexes and supporting molecules is recommended. The evidence for eating whole fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fish is virtually undisputed.
References:
The Nutrition Source: Antioxidants: Beyond the Hype, Harvard School of Public Health.
NIH: Antioxidant Supplements for Health: An Introduction