Antioxidant supplements and disease prevention

Antioxidant supplements and disease prevention

by Russell Setright

Studies have found that vitamin E and vitamin C supplement use may reduce the risk of early death and whether vitamin C enhanced the effects of vitamin E. One study among 11,178 persons aged 67 to105 y who participated in the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly. The participants were asked to report all nonprescription drugs currently used, including vitamin supplements. Persons were defined as users of these supplements if they reported individual vitamin E and/or vitamin C use, not part of a multivitamin. During the follow-up period there were 3490 deaths. Simultaneous use of vitamins E and C was associated with a lower risk of total early death by 42 per cent and reduced coronary death by 53 per cent. Adjustment was made for alcohol use, smoking history, aspirin use, and medical conditions did not substantially alter these findings. These findings are consistent with those for younger persons and suggest protective effects of vitamin E supplements in the elderly. (Katalin G et al. Vitamin E and vitamin C supplement use and risk of all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality in older persons: the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly  Am J Clin Nutr 1996;64:190-6)

Further research has also confirmed that dietary antioxidants may prevent premature ageing or slow down the ageing process and reduce the incidence heart disease and cancer. A study of 23,943 participants without pre-existing cancer and myocardial infarction/stroke at the start were included. After an average follow-up time of 11 years, 1,101 deaths were documented (513 cancer deaths and 264 cardiovascular deaths). At the start of the study, users of antioxidant vitamin supplements had a significantly reduced risk of cancer mortality (death), 48 per cent reduction and all-cause mortality, 42 per cent reduction. However, starting supplementation once you have these diseases may not give these advantages. (Vitamin/mineral supplementation and cancer, cardiovascular, and all-cause mortality in a German prospective cohort (EPIC-Heidelberg) European Journal of Nutrition, June 2012, Volume 51, Issue 4, pp 407-413)

An important positive action of antioxidant supplementation is the ability to improve the elasticity of blood vessels and increase the good (HDL) cholesterol levels. A randomised placebo controlled trial in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors found that Antioxidant treated patients exhibited significant increases in large and small arterial elasticity. A significant decline HbA1C, a factor used in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in Australia, and a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol were also observed. This beneficial vascular effect was also associated with an improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism as well as decrease in blood pressure (Shargorodsky M, Effect of long-term treatment with antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and selenium) on arterial compliance, humoral factors and inflammatory markers in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 Jul 6;7:55).