Antioxidants – Why You Need Them...or do you?

By: Marc Lobliner

MTS Nutrition CEO, Tigerfitness.com CMO, EXOS Phase 3, CS-L1

Antioxidants were a buzz word for years, and for good reason. They have been implicated in preventing or delaying some types of cell damage which means less sickness, less disease and better health. But does science back this up?

Not really.

The original studies showed that people who ate fruits and vegetables, great sources of antioxidants, were healthier overall. But this was an assumption as it could have been many other components in these foods plus from a common sense standpoint, let’s be real, people who eat fruits and vegetables generally make better health choices like exercising more, eating less Doritos®, drinking less beer and maybe even having less unprotected sex (the last one was to wake you up). (1)

Whole foods are the way to go!

But when antioxidants were isolated, there really were no health benefits. Studies of over 100,000 total people showed that antioxidants did not lower risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and cataracts. (2)

There aren’t many negatives to the intake of antioxidants, but they may interfere with some medications and high doses of antioxidants like Vitamin E might pose a risk for blood clotting issues, among other things. (3)

However, they aren’t all bad. Here are my thoughts:

Eating fruits, veggies and consuming veggie powders is good

While I am not saying it is the antioxidants doing the work, why not use whole fruit and vegetable powders? For example, MTS Nutrition Machine Greens contains superfood powders from various fruits and vegetables to help with overall health and to ensure optimal absorption. With man-made antioxidants, you don’t always (actually, you almost NEVER) get this. We also threw in some probiotics and organ support supplements for optimal health.

But aside from the powder, have a rich diet. Fruits and Vegetables are good for you. Find a balance where you can meet your caloric needs and also consume ample fruits and veggies. How many? There is no set amount, but remember, vegetables especially go a long way – a lot of bang for your calorie buck!

Antioxidant and whole fruit and veggie powders might help fat loss

It was from this data that I formulated the fat burner Drop Factor. Blueberries and other berries have some pretty epic fat loss data. Why not use it in a fat burner for a healthy fat burning boost? This is why I created the PolyphORAC Blend. It has so many benefits – from health to looking sexy! (4)

DO NOT avoid plant foods

There is tremendous division on the internet – don’t buy into it! Some are saying that fruits and vegetables are not needed to survive – they are right. Suntan lotion isn’t either, but you are much better off using it before a day in the sun! Even if not vegan, adding more fruits and veggies to your diet will be a great move – you will feel better and you might even be healthier!

The Take-Home

Eat more fruits and veggies and supplement with whole-food fruit and veggie powders. This is the best way to be your best ever! While antioxidants might not be the holy grail we once thought they were, who cares!? Just eat the good stuff!

References 

• Crowe FL, Roddam AW, Key TJ, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality from ischaemic heart disease: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heart Study.European Heart Journal. 2011;32(10):1235–1243. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21245490
• Cook NR, Albert CM, Gaziano JM, et al. A randomized factorial trial of vitamins C and E and beta carotene in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in women: results from the Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study.Archives of Internal Medicine. 2007;167(15):1610–1618. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17698683
• Lee IM, Cook NR, Gaziano JM, et al. Vitamin E in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer: the Women’s Health Study: a randomized controlled trial.JAMA. 2005;294(1):56–65. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15998891
• https://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20090419/blueberries-may-banish-belly-fat