Antioxidant Supplements

It is still a puzzle, even for researchers and scientists, why people who eat plenty of vegetables and fruit are less likely to develop diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Fresh fruits and vegetables tend to be high in fiber and low in fat but there is more to it than just that and there is ongoing research to find out exactly what is going on.

Recent studies have shown us that part of the benefit from eating fresh produce daily is because of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our body against the harm free radicals try to do. The first ever antioxidant to catch the scientists’ attention was beta-carotene, which is also commonly known as Vitamin A. These days, you can buy Vitamin A supplements in pretty much any health food store or pharmacy.

Beta-carotene antioxidant supplements are usually found in yellow, orange or green leafy vegetables and fruits. People who eat plenty of beta-carotene rich foods usually have a far lower incidence of cancer rates. Clinical trials were done to prove or disprove this theory but beta-carotene did not seem to be that good at warding off cancer. Worse news was that taking beta-carotene supplements or pills seemed to increase the cancer rates in smokers. Two large trials were done to obtain these results.

The next studies looked for alternative sources of antioxidants to create the supplements from. Vitamins C and E were looked at but the results were mixed. Vitamin C did not seem to reduce heart disease or cancer rates but it did not have adverse effects on anyone either. Vitamin C might also be able to provide some protection against loss of sight in older people, caused by cataracts.

The most promising of all antioxidant supplements seems to be Vitamin E. People who eat foods rich in this vitamin tend to have a much lower risk of heart disease.

Antioxidant supplements have been around for a few years now and, although they cannot substitute a healthy diet or lifestyle, they can reinforce your immunity and overall health. It is best to take combination products when taking antioxidants because a lot work synergistically, so it is better for you to combine them. Even if your diet is sufficient, there might be days when you are not able to get your optimum amount of antioxidants without the supplements so it is worth taking them for added protection.

Nearly all the antioxidant supplements you can find today in the health stores contain a standard base of ingredients, which are Vitamin E, Vitamin C, beta-carotene and Selenium which is a mineral. There are other combinations too but that is the most common one.