7 replies to this topic

[tfor]

This is very upsetting news.

 

http://stm.sciencema...nt/7/308/308re8

 

I have been taking vitamins because my doctor told me so because

I have elevated oxidative stress and elevated nitrosative stress. I dont know why that is.

Since I have a lot of issues with my body and doctors usually find no explanation my thought

was that maybe I have mitochondrial issues which might explain why I have so many health issues

which other people in my age do not have. Some of my issues (eye floaters, feeling generally fragile, blue field

entoptic phenomenon) started during or after a time where I was doing weightlifting. I trained 90 minutes

per day 3 times a week and my diet at this time didn't include many vitamins. Back then I didn't know any

better. After I had done this for 1,5 years these issues started and I had to stop working out because my

body simply didn't seem to be able to handle this.

 

Those doctor who write about orthomolecular

medicine all advocate vitamins.

 

Shall I now rejoice that I have high oxidative stress or what?!

 

Stuff I take:

Multi, 1-2 grams Vitamin C, NAC 600mg every now and then, Alpha Lipoic Acid 600mg,

Niacin 100mg, Vitamin B complex, Biotin 5mg, Vitamin E 400ie, Spirulina, Wheat Grass,

Fish Oil 1gr, Selenium 100mg (but not every day),

 

What of this should I not take anymore?

All this confusion about antioxidants is very discouraging.

Edited by tfor, 11 February 2016 - 04:09 AM.

[niner]

If it were me, I'd skip the NAC, ALA, Niacin, Biotin 5mg, vitamin E and selenium.  The multi and B-complex should cover you.  I'd cut down on the vitamin C also.  Your needs may be different than mine, so just consider this as a data point.  If you really have high oxidative stress, then you might want to look at something like c60oo or MitoQ.  Available evidence suggests that unlike some other antioxidants, these have anti-cancer properties.

[joelcairo]

First of all, a study of what happens to mice who have melanoma cells injected into them or grafted onto them has nothing whatsoever to do with your situation.

 

I can't comment on the legitimacy of tests evaluating your levels of oxidative/nitrosative stress. If these were administered by an MD (not a naturopath) and if the science behind the tests seems sound, then I would suggest sticking with your doctor's advice.

[Helllllo]

Interesting. Anti-oxidants make me feel strange. If I'm feeling light and happy they make me a lot more rigid and awkward. Does anyone know why?

[Turnbuckle]

The linked page says--

 

Antioxidants are found in a variety of foods and dietary supplements and are frequently used with the goal of preventing cancer, but mounting evidence suggests that they may not be as beneficial as once thought. Clinical studies have shown mixed or no benefits.

 

 

So it doesn't help with cancer. Do you have cancer? Did your doctor tell you to take them as a cancer preventative? 

[niner]

Interesting. Anti-oxidants make me feel strange. If I'm feeling light and happy they make me a lot more rigid and awkward. Does anyone know why?

 

That depends.  Which ones make you feel strange?  Are you able to replicate the feeling with other types of supplements?

[zorba990]

Well this study and others like are a gross simplification I believe.
Oxidation, like good inflammation, is meant to come and go in cycles.

Example, first thing am empty stomach HIT (high intensity training) resulting in a quick big hit of oxidation and inflammation
A nice cool down and rehydration, stretching, give the body some adaptation time
Then a high antioxidant, polyphenols,collagen supportive and protein packed meal hour or more later.


So very long acting antioxidants may be more of a problem. Vitamin c is not in this category and thus the Cheetah does not suffer from any kind of maladaptive exercise response due to making it endogenously.

So if, after a time due to age or illness, you have excessive inflammation issues, you may want to increase your post oxidation inflammation hit with more nutritional support. Intermittent fasting may be another way to more gently test your limits and improve your body's response to bursts of inflammation and oxidation.

Spirulina and wheatgrass both make me feel like sh@t by the way. They irritate my insides...

Edited by zorba990, 11 February 2016 - 05:10 PM.

[aconita]

Proper nutrition is fundamental, supplements can't solve lack of proper nutrition.

 

Antioxidants are like everything else: in the right amounts are beneficial, otherwise probably not.

 

Supplementing usually means hacking, before being able to hack successfully one needs to master "normality".

 

A messed up situation would not improve by hacking, actually would probably worsen.

 

Aim to perfection manipulating lifestyle and nutrition, only when everything is at its best considering supplementing may make some sense.

 

In the specific case it would be interesting to know the leukocytes count, especially at the time of the symptoms reported.

 

Poor nutrition and stressors (training in this case) are a bad match which may easily lead to a compromised immune system, I would not be surprised if at the time of the issue other health problems were prominent, like flu, herpes or other virus related, for example.