Caution: Don't overdose on antioxidants
 

"Antioxidants can be harmful too

Scientists say the delicate balance of nutrients required by the body could be affected by stuffing it full of the antioxidants contained in the foods.

Nutritionists claim these antioxidants can lengthen your life by cutting the risk of heart disease and cancer. They have even linked them to better sex. But researchers say too much of the superfoods could mean there are not enough 'pro-oxidants' - usually considered the evil twin of antioxidants - in the body.

While the antioxidants slow down the damage to muscles and other organs by oxidation, the pro-oxidants speed it up. But too many antioxidants can tilt the balance and make it harder for the elderly to breathe and stop them from doing the exercise that could help them stay fit."


http://www.timeswellness.com/article...ioxidants.html

Can you get too many antioxidants?
 

" When we hear the word "antioxidants," many of us automatically think how good they are for us. In our minds, antioxidants are the good guys. We may not be exactly sure what they do, but the "anti" in their name tells us that they protect us by fighting off something bad. And if they're the good guys fighting the bad guys, how could we possibly get too many?

On top of the good guys versus bad guys perspective, we also know that many antioxidants are vitamins - vitamins as familiar to us as A and C and E - and minerals such as zinc and selenium. And that these are nutrients that we know are of benefit to our health (There are other antioxidants, though, that are not nutrients at all, but rather compounds in our bodies with various physiological function; for example, uric acid and ceruloplasmin are two of the key antioxidants found in our bloodstream.)

Yet, it turns out that it is just the black and white story that if antioxidants are good for us, then more is better. Like an orchestra that needs the correct representation of instruments to make a beautiful symphony, our bodies need an array of antioxidants, not just this one or that one, to create harmony in our health. "

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?t...eorge&dbid=143

Antioxidant Overdose Could be Harmful
 

Antioxidant Overdose Could be Harmful
September 25, 2009

For years, health-conscious people have been taking antioxidants to reduce the levels of reactive oxygen in their blood and prevent the DNA damage done by free radicals, which are the result of oxidative stress.

It's been known for decades that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-—ions or very small molecules that include free radicals-—damage cells. But much to their surprise, Jonsson Cancer Center researchers found that in Drosophila, the common fruit fly, moderately elevated levels of ROS are a good thing.

http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/n...ts-092509.aspx

Antioxidant Overdose — Are You In Danger?
 

"A Matter of Balance

It almost sounds as if oxidants are our new best friends-maybe they are actually the good twin! But Dr. Rubman stresses that balance between oxidants and antioxidants is what’s important — he describes it as “a dance between the two.”

The reality is that the way most of us eat (lots of oxidants) combined with environmental challenges (such as pesticides, petrochemicals and plastics) means that most Americans are just getting too many oxidants and not enough antioxidants. The best way to achieve and maintain appropriate balance is to eat plenty of whole foods that provide your body not only with the nutrients it needs, but also the enzymes and cofactors that optimize their absorption. If you aren’t sure your diet accomplishes that, antioxidant supplements may then be in order."

http://www.medifasthealth.org/blog/2...you-in-danger/