I found it interesting that the study they cited at the beginning of the article did not cite the amounts of the anti-oxidants the people in the study were taking. Anything done to excess will probably have ill effects. And of course, they didn't say what these people died of, so we have no idea if it could have been something completely unrelated to anti-oxidant use.

A better CYA move for "Reader's Digest" would have been for them to advise their readers to consult their physicians before beginning any major dietary changes such as supplementation. A lot of harm has come to people who failed to inform their docs what OTC supplements they were taking, particularly when they were also on prescription meds. I take supplements myself, but I've always researched them for potential interactions and always provide an updated list to my docs at each visit.

This article also doesn't address the quality of the supplements that were being taken. The source of the vitamin or mineral may be suspect, or there may be unwanted fillers or other unnecessary or even harmful ingredients. There can be a lot of variation from supplement to supplement as to how much of the main ingredient is bioavailable.

And I didn't expect "Reader's Digest" to mention this because it is not common, but some people have health conditions that preclude them from eating fruits and vegetables. So they HAVE to rely on supplementation to get proper nutrition.

It's good that "Reader's Digest" brings up the subject of supplements, but I hope they don't cause any unnecessary panic amongst the general population that their Ester C is gonna kill them or whatever.

fanfaire