Free Radicals

[Moonsavvy]

So are they as dangerous as I've heard? I've always heard to take antioxidants to combat these guys, but I'm curious to know how much, ect... if anyone has any experience and/or knowledge about this I would appreciate it!

[JFK]

Big study just came out this week that shows that taking antioxidant supplements INCREASES mortality. Just goes to show, just b/c something might be good in food, taking a supp. may not have the same effect.

Free radicals do cause damage to our cells, the body has mechanisms for fighting them, however, it's an open question as to whether we can assist our body's defenses. Researchers are looking into diet and exercise, as well as environment.

For example, exercise does seem to increase oxidative damage, however, it also provides all kinds of benefits. Clearly, there's a balance in there somewhere. Too much exercise (such as extreme endurance events) might ultimately be harmful (or not), but no exercise is bad, too. There's also likely a genetic component, in terms of how we respond individually, not to mention the environment where you live and train.

What, you expected a simple answer? :wink: And this is just skimming the surface.

[AC]

Somehow the whole anti-oxident thing became suspicious to me when I started seeing expensive bars of imported dark chocolate with "anti-oxident" benefits listed. Now, did we just throw out the whole sugar/diabetes problem so that people can justify a candy bar again like a piece of fruit?

I usually use a GNC store as my barometer of what's being pushed on us to scare the crap out of us. Every 2 or 3 months, at the counter, the GNC guy/gal will have something that you absolutely need to live a longer life. This week, there was a powder to put in water that would give you the equivalent of eating a truckload of fresh fruit (maybe not a truckload). Now I thought for a few seconds and said, it's summer and I really like cantelopes, honeydew mellons and watermellon. I love fresh cut pineapple and crispy apples. Why would I want to drink them in 30 seconds like a dose of medicene? Because, they said if I don't get the right amount of fruits, I could die. Last month if I didn't get enough anti-oxidents, I could die. Last year if I didn't get enough Vitamin XYZ, I was tempting death. So, I walked out of the GNC store, after buying a Cliff Bar, and felt like I had cheated death again.

BTW, a few pieces of dark chocolate, fresh pineapple, and your choice of wine. I live on the edge.

[veespin]

So are they as dangerous as I've heard? I've always heard to take antioxidants to combat these guys, but I'm curious to know how much, ect... if anyone has any experience and/or knowledge about this I would appreciate it!

Well, it all depends.

Free radicals are the body's major players in initiating the inflammatory response. Sometimes you need a lot and sometimes you don't (depending on circumstances) ......problem is, the body doesn't really care so much about circumstances.

Inflammation is hugely valuable in the young (for most of the time, that is) and here "free radicals" signal all the body's defense mechanism to go into action to protect against infection and acute injury and whatnot.

Once you get past the "useful" point in your life....i.e. "old" (Nature doesn't care about wisdom and experience......continuing the gene pool is what it's all about) then you start to see the deleterious effects of free radicals and "inflammation". Healing isn't so swift in the "aged" (which might be over 40 as far as Nature is concerned) and inflammation becomes a chronic condition. This is where the study and usefulness of understanding the effects of free radicals is mainly aimed.

That's the thing with inflammation (and free radicals) not too little and not too much.....just like Goldilocks's porridge.

Don't understand the process too much so I talk about free radicals only marginally less than I talk about black holes, string theory, partical physics and "compacts" and ratios. It's the safest way.

Vivienne

[abby_b_fit]

Hi All,

This is my DH typing he worked in an alternative pharmacy across from the NIH here in Bethesda MD and studied nutrition and oriental medicine for many years.
---A


I agree with all that has been written, i just want to add that the greatest creation of "free radicals" in our body comes from.......
digestion, eating and drinking.
Eat 200 calories less per day and you will get absolutely less free radical damage, and thus ageing, than if you took every anti oxidant in GNC daily, and its cheaper too.

Abby's DH
:D :D

[Moonsavvy]

Why thank-you Abby's DH. :)

Now a word from Moon's DH.

:| :| :|

Just Kidding it's still me, my husband refuses to contribute to my madness 8)

[veespin]

Somehow the whole anti-oxident thing became suspicious to me when I started seeing expensive bars of imported dark chocolate with "anti-oxident" benefits listed. Now, did we just throw out the whole sugar/diabetes problem so that people can justify a candy bar again like a piece of fruit?


Well, what you're noticing here is a problem with the way that science or health related stuff gets reported on by the popular press.

First off, what these "science" reporters tend to seek out when they're looking for soomething to fill a few lines, tends to be the newsworthy attention grabbing subject matter......something that could be presented as a health scare or some sort of controversy rather than the ordinary or mundane.

Second, they usually don't have much of a clue what they're writing about.....and not much desire to get one, either: and it doesn't really matter 'cuz the readership isn't generally much wiser.

If that's not enough, they focus on presenting stuff as if what they've found is a new discovery.....something Of The Moment, when it rarely is.

Say for the sake of arguement, you inadvertantly stumbled across research papers on antioxidants and whatnot......you'd find that they stretch back a few decades. Nitric oxide was named "molecule of the year" back in about 1991.

Still it helps sell worthless stuff to folk who don't need it, I guess.

Vivienne

[abby_b_fit]

Why thank-you Abby's DH. :)

Now a word from Moon's DH.

:| :| :|

Just Kidding it's still me, my husband refuses to contribute to my madness 8)

My DH thinks I'm a little crazy too. I just caught him at the right moment last night. :wink:

---A

[Jennifer]

Abby, was it The Apothecary? I got some compounded stuff there for Heath when we were trying the supplement/GF diet with him.

[abby_b_fit]

Abby, was it The Apothecary? I got some compounded stuff there for Heath when we were trying the supplement/GF diet with him.

Yup, sure was!!!!

[Jennifer]

By the way, I won't be in class tomorrow :cry: Jill wants to go to the Sheep-to-Shawl competition at the Sheep & Wool festival, and it's from 8-11.

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[abby_b_fit]

By the way, I won't be in class tomorrow :cry: Jill wants to go to the Sheep-to-Shawl competition at the Sheep & Wool festival, and it's from 8-11.

:cry: :cry: :cry:

You will be missed my friend :cry: Have a great time!!!!!

---A

[Todd S]

Jill wants to go to the Sheep-to-Shawl competition at the Sheep & Wool festival, and it's from 8-11.

I guess no one can say you all don't know how to party...

I'll bet you hardly slept last night in anticipation.

[Jennifer]

Jill wants to go to the Sheep-to-Shawl competition at the Sheep & Wool festival, and it's from 8-11.

I guess no one can say you all don't know how to party...

I'll bet you hardly slept last night in anticipation.

You know it! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/jklotz/Rockon.gif