Popular belief is that antioxidants prevent heart, Parkinson’s And Alzheimer’s Disease. Some research shows that too much may cause one of these dreaded diseases. It’s a very popular and believable theory, mainly because it makes sense. It has also given hope to many people in search of ways to enhance and extend their lives naturally. And let’s not forget, it’s profitable for many professionals. Patients regularly ask us at the chiropractic office at New Century Spine Centers in San Diego which supplements to take.
What we are referring to is the belief that taking antioxidants is good for you. Many believe they can prevent such diseases as heart, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. A study published in the August 10th issue of Cell sheds new light on this claim. It says that too much of a certain antioxidant may even cause heart disease in the long run.
Understanding how antioxidants are thought to work is very important. Heart, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other deadly diseases are associated with oxidative stress, in which “free radical” molecules are produced in reaction to oxygen intake. Free radicals travel through the body, triggering chemical reactions that damage proteins causing them to form aggregates. It is believed that antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E offer health-promoting benefits by protecting against damaging free radicals that damage the body. That’s why many people take antioxidants to prevent heart and other protein-aggregate diseases in many.
A study was done on laboratory mice in the University of Utah. Researchers found that an overload of natural antioxidants could actually lead to heart failure. This study had some very important findings.
Reductive stress is a condition caused by excessive levels of reduced glutathione, which is one of your body’s most powerful antioxidants. When your cells work properly, they produce just the right amount of reduced glutathione, which is healthy for your body. However, in some people, a mutated gene can disrupt the fine balance, causing the cells to produce too much.
In the study of laboratory mice with failing hearts caused by mutant alpha B-Crystallin, researchers found increased activity of the biochemical pathway leading to high levels of reduced glutathione in the animals. Glutathione is regulated at multiple steps principally by the G6PD enzyme. To establish the connection between reduced glutathione and heart failure, Benjamin mated mutant alpha B-Crystallin mice that carried too much G6PD with mice that had far lower levels.
The resulting offspring had normal levels of reduced glutathione and did not develop heart failure. The researchers found that by lowering the level of reduced glutathione in mice with failing hearts, they were able to increase their rate of survival dramatically. “Lowering the level of reduced glutathione dramatically changed the survival of these mice,” Benjamin said. “Basically, we prevented them from getting heart failure.” Benjamin also added that although many people take antioxidants to prevent heart and other protein-aggregate diseases, there actually is scant evidence to prove they work. And that, “This is a case of too much of a good thing.”
“This field of medicine has not appreciated reductive stress and its influence on disease,” he said. “This is about balance needed in the environment of our cells, and it can have profound consequences on the treatments of heart disease and other serious disorders.”
“Too Much Of A Good Thing?” This is a concept that is misunderstood by most of the population… and probably leads to many health problems. What concept? Most have a skewed concept of how the body functions and what… exactly… optimal performance… or… optimal health is.
For example, let’s take performance. Many athletes are constantly trying to boost performance with supplementation. Some natural (and legal) other synthetic and usually illegal. Some athletes take anabolic steroids to boost performance. Steroids such as testosterone – help build muscle, strength and reduce recovery time. And they naturally occur in your body for these and many other purposes.
And naturally occurring steroids are good for you. So… if naturally occurring steroids do these good things for you – increasing their levels will do more good things for you. And it is true – athletes that take the right steroids, increase their athletic performance. And increase it a great deal.
However, this is not OPTIMAL performance. This is PATHOLOGICAL performance. Here’s why: Optimal performance is when your body is functioning at the highest level for your given genetic potential. Anything beyond that is ABNORMAL. Therefore PATHOLOGICAL.
It’s the same “too much of a good thing” Dr. Benjamin is referring to above. And, it’s the same as far as antioxidants are concerned. It makes complete sense that the proper level of antioxidants is good for you. And they probably help fight disease such as heart, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Too many approach the use of natural supplements like the athlete approaches the use of steroids. If a little is good – a lot is better. Know this: There is a perfect balance in your body where everything functions at 100% of your genetic potential. More is not better – it is worse. And as the study mentioned in this article demonstrated, too much of a good thing can be…Poison!
This is why choosing and taking supplements (of any kind) is much more involved than going into GNC and aimlessly picking a bunch that are popular or sound good. The old (and uneducated) belief that supplements can’t hurt you because they are natural is false. Snake venom is natural. So is mercury. Some of the most dangerous substances in the world are natural. The supplements you take should depend on your diet and the particular needs of your body.
Want to find out more about nutrition, then visit New Century Spine Centers site on how to choose the best vitamins for your needs.