Beginner's Fitness Programs

There are large numbers of scientific studies supporting the claim that antioxidants such as vitamin C and E are good for the body because they help with removing molecules called reactive oxygen species. Because of this, many people are now taking supplements to increase the availability of antioxidants in the body. Many people are also taking large quantities of plant-based antioxidants such as grape seed, blueberries, and tea, as they think it is natural and should be safe in any amount.

Although antioxidants are, in fact, beneficial for most people, and people should be encouraged to take more of them through fruits and vegetables, some studies have found that antioxidants can also have a negative side.

One study done at Kansas State University found that antioxidants could impair muscle function by taking away hydrogen peroxide, which helps open up blood vessels and increases blood flow to muscles. Without enough blood flow, the muscles cannot function well and cannot recover from any damage caused by working out.

Another study published shows that two plant-derived antioxidants (quercetin and ferulic acid), which were thought to suppress cancers, may actually aggravate kidney cancer.

Further, if you want to get pregnant, taking antioxidant supplements could actually lower your chances. Since the process of conception shares a number of common mechanisms with inflammation, by taking a large dose of antioxidants you may not only be suppressing “inflammation,” but you could also be blocking the function of normal ovulation. So if you have difficulty getting pregnant, you may want to limit your antioxidant intake to a “normal” level.

Note, however, that this is not true for men. It seems that men with low antioxidant levels also have low quality sperm, but by supplying a healthy amount of antioxidants, a man can increase the chance of successful conception, even if he has a low sperm count. I guess that you may want to give him an extra glass of blueberry juice in morning!

As they say, too much of a good thing is not always good for you — so it’s best for you to take a moderate amount of antioxidants from fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

Sources:
Antioxidants aren’t always good for you and can impair muscle function, study shows: Kansas State University Publication (Jan 2010) partly published in Journal of Applied Physiology, Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology.
Quercetin and Ferulic Acid Aggravate Renal Carcinoma in Long-Term Diabetic Victims. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010
Reactive oxygen species are indispensable in ovulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011
Antioxidants may improve chances of conceiving in male subfertility: Wiley-Blackwell (Jan 2011).
A low intake of antioxidant nutrients is associated with poor semen quality in patients attending fertility clinics. Fertility and Sterility, May 2009

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