Antioxidants Boise ID

By Jack Challem

Large doses of vitamin E are good for the heart—or are they? Vitamin C reduces cold and flu symptoms—or does it?

Just a few years ago, gulping fistfuls of antioxidant supplements seemed like an easy way to protect yourself from the ravages of aging and disease. Nobel laureate Linus Pauling, antiaging guru Durk Pearson, and weight-loss doc Robert Atkins were among the many experts touting the benefits.

But these days the picture’s not so simple. For every study detecting benefits from these supplements, another comes along that disagrees or even finds potential harm. Witness the recent brouhaha over vitamin E, in which scientists revisited old data and astonished almost everyone by arguing that supplements actually increased the risk of death. (More on that controversial study later.)

Not only that, the entire antioxidant landscape has changed to the point where supplements like E and C seem a little stodgy. These days you’re more likely to hear about flashy newcomers like anthocyanidins, coenzyme Q10, flavonoids, lutein, lycopene, and resveratrol, to name just a few.

You may be forgiven for scratching your head by now, wondering what exactly this all means for you. Do you even need to take antioxidants? If so, which ones, and in what amounts? Is lutein really all that different from lycopene? And how do antioxidants mix with the prescription drugs you might be taking?

Some experts maintain that everyone could use the extra insurance that certain antioxidants provide. “Most Americans fail to meet the basic requirements for essential antioxidants like vitamin E and selenium,” says Jeffrey Blumberg, a leading antioxidant researcher at Tufts University. “A supplement is a convenient way to fill the gap.” And certain people may need more, including those over 50 and anyone dealing with, or looking to prevent, a particular disease. Below, some answers to questions on who should be taking what, and why. • Why are there suddenly so many different kinds of antioxidants, and how do I know which ones to take?

The explosion is basically a function of research: The more scientists dig into foods, the more antioxidants they discover. Some are more powerful than others—the flavonoids in apple skin, for instance, provide more antioxidant power than does the vitamin C in the white part—and each one does something slightly different. Quercetin, among the flavonoids in apple skins, helps with pollen allergies, whereas vitamin C is great for your blood vessels. But if you’re generally healthy, there’s no need to focus on any single antioxidant. Whether you’re getting your antioxidants from food or from pills, research shows that modest amounts of an assortment of them are your best bet.

• Can’t I get all the antioxidants I need from food?

Eating a wholesome diet rich in nonstarchy vegetables and fruits should theoretically put you in good shape. But apparently, we’re not doing so well on that front. According to the U.S. Department...

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