More on Antioxidants

[Guest guest]

I came across this today and had to share it because it applies to

recent discussions.

Abstract: In vivo mapping of hydrogen peroxide and oxidized glutathione

reveals chemical and regional specificity of redox homeostasis.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22100409

" A longer life span correlated with increased formation of oxidants in

the gut, rather than a decrease. "

Other than that quote the terminology is going to make the language of

that abstract hard to understand for many. In that case, and because it

is only an abstract the following news article with comments from one of

the authors may be more interesting.

Oxidative Stress: Less Harmful Than Suspected?

ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2011)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205102627.htm

They did their research on fruit flies and fed them, " N-acetyl cysteine

(NAC), a substance which is attributed an antioxidant effect and which

some scientists consider suitable for protecting the body against

presumably dangerous oxidants. " What they found was that NAC actually

caused the mitochondria of " various tissues to significantly increase

oxidant production. "

So what do they think this means? I think that they think it means more

work needs to be done. Of course some who want to hold on the the

speculation that we need to take extra antioxidants will speculate that

this research is wrong or does not apply to humans. Those that want to

believe that the push to take more antioxidants is wrong will speculate

that it supports their belief. I speculate that some entertainers,

authors and business are going to take their time getting around to

telling their fans and customers about this side of the research. I also

speculate that the body may actually use oxidants (the byproduct of

processes, or even needed by some processes) as messengers that certain

processes are happening or can happen. If that message is not loud

enough it will try to increase those processes or not down regulate the

those process as much as it should. So, increasing antioxidants beyond

normal may cause the body to increase certain process beyond what they

should be. All this is speculation. I offer it to provoke thought.

One of the things I like about this study is that it shows how far

science has come in developing tools to get the answers and yet even

with these tools the complete answer is still out of reach. We can look

through a bigger crack in the wall than we could in past times, but we

have to speculate about what we see because to much is still out of view.

Some speculation will be right and some wrong but often it will be given

to us as the absolute truth, sometimes " secret truth " about how we

should live and eat, while pointing fingers at someone to blame. It

sells well. Even researchers are not immune to crossing over the line

and either consciously or unconsciously turning speculation about their

work into claimed truth. Sometimes even making fraud to carry it off.

Along those lines consider this:

Scientific Journals Notified Following Research Misconduct Investigation

http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2012/01/scientific-journals-notified-following-resea\

rch-misconduct-investigation/

" ... concludes that Das is guilty of 145 counts of fabrication and

falsification of data. "

" Das had gained attention in recent years for his work into the

beneficial properties of resveratrol, which is found in red wine. "

This does not mean that all research into red wine is false. There is a

lot more, than just his, which sill stands.

Back to antioxidants:

Moderate exercise is an antioxidant: upregulation of antioxidant genes

by training.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18191748

" We have found that interfering with free radical metabolism with

antioxidants may hamper useful adaptations to training. "

Notice the word " may. " For a look at speculation whether antioxidants

are good or bad in this case see:

Reactive Oxygen Species in Skeletal Muscle Signaling

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3235811

That review of research looks at how oxidative stress may be both good

and bad and therefor antioxidants are both good and bad.

I think for now I will try to get " normal " amounts of them, whatever

that is, but I am sure taking large amounts in supplements is not normal.

notan