Dietary supplements industry has gotten me up to believe that one can replace everything with pills and tablets today. Missing Mon iron one takes simply an iron tablet. If you are sick a lot, so one can only increase the doses of the most well-known antioxidant, vitamin C. And so it goes. Whatever's bothering us - yes there is a pill or tablet for it. This unfortunate development has definitely escalated over the past 15 years. One of the most mythical supplements on the market today, ALA (alpha lipolic acid). For many, this is the ace of antioxidant supplements. Keeps it with grants to cover the need for antioxidants?
The theme of antioxidants is definitely complicated enough - but we will here avoid going too much in detail. In short, it is in any case, so we have a special antioxidant defenses in the body. The body's own cells produce antioxidants, so that we can protect ourselves against the oxidative stress (which in high doses are harmful). Factors such as lifestyle, smoking, alcohol, etc. can affect the amount of oxidative stress. Research on antioxidants have known that foods with a complex containing many different antioxidants strengthen the health and protects us from both age-related diseases and inflammation-related diseases. So confident are we in this, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that one can extend life by up to 14 years, by eating more fruits, berries and vegetables.
Is it to say that we can drop all the vegetables, and instead take them in tablets? One must not forget that these supplements with antioxidants, like to have an antioxidant in itself - and the sky-high doses. Research on a number of these antioxidants indicate that you do not strengthen their health by taking them - but rather the opposite! A meal can contain up to 25,000 different biologically active substances - and considering that every single cell in your body has roughly 25,000 genes that are regulated, including the diet - understands that one that the answer is not as easy as it supplements the industry will have us faith! Research shows that first and foremost is the amount of antioxidants that are important for your health - but that you get in them all the thousands of antioxidants available. This is done by having a balanced and varied diet - not by taking 10 tablets a day!
Below we shall look at some of the most common myths about antioxidants - and some facts, of course ;
"Tablets with nature's strongest antioxidant"
This is a statement one often can read in the advertisements. There are thousands of antioxidants in plant foods, but only a few of these have been investigated in scientific studies. The study shows is that it is the combination of many antioxidants that have the best effect.
"Coffee is an important source of antioxidants"
Coffee is the largest source of antioxidants in the Norwegian diet, but we do not know for sure whether these antioxidants absorbed, and can work on the sites in the body where oxidative stress occurs. Some studies suggest, however, that coffee can help prevent some diseases.
"Antioxidants in vegetables destroyed during cooking"
A few antioxidants destroyed during cooking (eg vitamin C), but most are stable during cooking. Antioxidants in vegetables are more effectively addressed in the intestine, by cooking. Cooked vegetables are therefore a better source of antioxidants than raw vegetables
"Antioxidants in supplements can substitute for fruit and vegetables"
Predominant number of studies show that antioxidants in fruits and vegetables seems far better than the antioxidants in supplements. It has actually been difficult to document the beneficial effects of antioxidant supplements. Some studies show ten dialogue with adverse effects of antioxidants in the form of grants.
"It can be harmful to eat too much carrots"
Large doses of beta carotene is known to be harmful in clinical trials - but the dose found in carrots are very low compared with doses to use in studies with grants. In addition, carrots, many substances that balance the effects of beta-carotene - it does not make a single contribution.
"Antioxidants can prolong life"
The antioxidants that produce the cells themselves may slow the aging process in animals - but we do not know about antioxidants from our diet can provide the same effect. This is still just a hypothesis.
"Antioxidants strengthens the immune system"
This claim is the most widely used in commercials. The claim is based on both the myths and old, and poorly controlled studies. One can not deny that antioxidant strengthens the immune system - but it's PDD. too little solid research to confirm the claim.