Antioxidants: Bad for Diabetics?
Antioxidant vitamins, the once promising antidote to heart disease and cancer have become the red-headed stepchildren in the world of nutritional research. The latest bad news is that not only is it NOT effective for diabetics, it may actually worsen it.
The study - published in a recent issue of Cell Metabolism suggests that chronically low levels of ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species - or free radicals) may actually protect us from diabetes by improving our ability to respond to insulin signals.
In a way, we think there is a delicate balance and that too much of a good thing - surprise, surprise - might be bad."Says researcher Tony Tiganis of Monash University in Australia.
And isn't that just a microcosm of how most things work in nutrition!
The antioxidant theory had such promise and seemed wonderfully simple - free radical damage (ROS) causes chronic disease, antioxidant vitamins squelch free radicals - therefore take antioxidants to reduce your risk of chronic disease. Ta-da!
Well the excitement soon died off when research went from in vitro to in vivo. Long-term trials came up empty and in some cases the antioxidant treatment arm even INCREASED risk of certain diseases in certain populations.
A recent study for example indicates that antioxidants may negate the longer-term benefits of exercise training by lowering the activity of certain genes involved in ROS defence.
Stick with real food
It's not to say there isn't ever a use for supplemental antioxidants. Somewhere along the way, however we've become hyperfocused on trying to tease out components of food when in fact the whole food is much better than the sum of its parts.
As far as this study is concerned, it was on mice - so take that for what it's worth. Further, of all the things are that are "bad" for diabetics, antioxidants rank distantly behind excess calories - particularly sugar and refined carbohydrates and sedentary behaviour - start there!
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Except it's hard to get ALL your necessary vitamins through food. Thus eat as much whole foods as possible and take vitamin supplements like a multi, Coenzyme Q10, Flax oil.
ReplyIs it really that hard though? Or is that what the vitamin companies and health food re-sellers want us to believe? I mean Q10 is synthesised in the body from amino acids and can also be found in spinach, beef, soy, some fish.
ReplyDoesn't this sh*t happen all the time? People find out about one benefit in a certain type of food, then companies go and make pills outa it and everyone takes it in excessively.
Resveratrol went through the same damn phase.
ReplyAs soon as I read this, I immediately thought of those resveratrol supplements that are supposedly equivalent to 1000 bottles of wine or whatever. If it doesn't occur in that concentration naturally, shouldn't we be taking that into consideration? Fish oil is a supplement, but it's not an obscene amount of vitamins at once or anything. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies; they have plenty of antioxidants, but they also have phytochemicals in them that may interact with the antioxidants to temper some of their effects.
ReplyI'll take the 1000 bottles of wine ; )
Not sure it will be as beneficial for my health, but life would certainly be a lot more entertaining!
ReplyI just try to eat whole foods & I take a multi & calcium/magnesium sicne I have trouble digesting dairy....
Why does it always come down to a pill! I know in some cases it may help but it should not be every damn thing out there!
ReplyStudies on mice!?!
ReplyThat's right. It's time to stop feeding our pet mice those anti-oxidant supplements.
BTW, I'm just curious as to how they made the connection to diabetics using mice as test subjects. We're the mice diabetic? Is that something they can even ascertain in test mice?
I stopped taking pills a long time ago... Vitamins, Fish Oil, Glucosamine...EVERYTHING. I have a sensitive stomach and even the mildest supplements would leave me feeling slightly less than 100%. I just don't think there is anything extra needed if you stick to whole, unprocessed food.
Reply'The study - published in a recent issue of Cell Metabolism suggests that chronically low levels of ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species - or free radicals) may actually protect us from diabetes by improving our ability to respond to insulin signals'.
Doesn't the study say the opposite?
The recent study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19692493?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
has nothing to do with antioxidants and ROS?
ReplyI hate when people begin their arguments or articles with stupid phrases like 'redheaded stepchildren' as a bad thing. This makes you obnoxious, just so you know.
ReplyTaking healthy food is the best way. I stopped taking pills a long time ago... Vitamins, Fish Oil, ...EVERYTHING.
Reply