Healthy living
Anti-ageing
Antioxidants may not 'hold back the clock'
Antioxidants such as vitamin C and E have been lauded as powerful weapons against the ravages of ageing for decades. But a new study published in the journal PLoS Genetics casts doubt on their ability to hold back the clock
For over half a century scientists have argued that one of the main reasons we get old is due to a process called 'oxidative stress'. This is when harmful chemicals or 'free radicals' that are a normal by-product of metabolism build up in the body and damage healthy cells, causing them to age.
As a result, a huge market has built up in anti-ageing products ranging from dietary supplements to face creams all packed full of age-defying antioxidants.
Now scientists from McGill University in Canada have carried out a study that has cast doubt on the role of 'free radicals' in the ageing process. Their research on a special breed of worms has found that they actually live longer when the mechanism to destroy these supposedly ageing 'free radicals' is switched off. This has led the scientists to suggest that oxidative stress may be a result of ageing rather than its cause.
This latest study backs up previous research by scientists at the Institute of Healthy Ageing at University College London (UCL) that also called into question the long-held theory that oxidative stress causes ageing.
"The free radical theory of ageing has filled a knowledge vacuum for over fifty years now, but it just doesn't stand up to the evidence,' said Dr David Gems from UCL, 'Oxidative damage is clearly not a universal, major driver of the ageing process. Other factors, such as chemical reactions involving sugars in our body, clearly play a role."
Clinical trials of antioxidant supplements have also failed to live up to expectations.
"Supplement studies on antioxidants like vitamin E and beta-carotene have been a bitter disappointment," says Ursula Arens, registered dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. "Far from protecting against disease these supplements were actually found to increase the incidence of heart disease and cancer."
However Arens believes that it is too early to write off antioxidants altogether: "Large population studies have found that people who eat foods rich in an array of antioxidants live longer healthier lives," says Arens. "You can get plenty of naturally occurring antioxidants including vitamin C by eating lots of fruit and vegetables while whole grain products and nuts are rich in vitamin E. Following a healthy lifestyle with a diet rich in a wide range of nutrients is your best insurance for a long and healthy life."
British Dietetic Association www.bda.uk.com
Useful links
- Antioxidants not anti-ageing
- Understanding antioxidants
- All about vitamin C
- What you need to know about vitamin E
- Get rid of wrinkles naturally
- Cooking up a remedy for ageing skin
- Whole grains are good for your health
- The top 20 things to eat
- Beef up your strength
- Eat Mediterranean-style for a longer life
- How much water do we need?
- How soya fights fat
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
