I'm putting this in "hot topics"; because some members take antioxidants and likely will continue to. I do not take any, I don't know if I'm right. I have tested allergic to antioxidants, feel healthier without them (I do mean excellent quality ones), and I know other people including various types of natural health professionals who do not sell anything consumable, yet also have problems with antioxidants, even to their surprise at the discovery. So often people tell me "you gotta take antioxidants". Lay people and not do this. Then I see the below:
JAMA. 2007;297:842-857.
Context Antioxidant supplements are used for prevention of several diseases.
Objective To assess the effect of antioxidant supplements on mortality in randomized primary and secondary prevention trials.
Data Sources and Trial Selection We searched electronic databases and bibliographies published by October 2005. All randomized trials involving adults comparing beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E, and selenium either singly or combined vs placebo or vs no intervention were included in our analysis. Randomization, blinding, and follow-up were considered markers of bias in the included trials. The effect of antioxidant supplements on all-cause mortality was analyzed with random-effects meta-analyses and reported as relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-regression was used to assess the effect of covariates across the trials.
Data Extraction We included 68 randomized trials with 232 606 participants (385 publications).
Data Synthesis When all low- and high-bias risk trials of antioxidant supplements were pooled together there was no significant effect on mortality (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.98-1.06). Multivariate meta-regression analyses showed that low-bias risk trials (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.05-1.29) and selenium (RR, 0.998; 95% CI, 0.997-0.9995) were significantly associated with mortality. In 47 low-bias trials with 180 938 participants, the antioxidant supplements significantly increased mortality (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.08). In low-bias risk trials, after exclusion of selenium trials, beta carotene (RR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11), vitamin A (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.10-1.24), and vitamin E (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07), singly or combined, significantly increased mortality.
Personally, I do not think vitamin supplements are paleo. I understand people taking them, when they need it for their health. I consider myself a raw foodist (not excluding the four food groups theough (meat, milk, veg, fruit). I haven't decided to definitely eat (raw) paleo diet.
I know it doesn't matter. JAMA isn't paleo either, so it doesn't need to be any kind of ideal of ours to listen to them. How do you do with antioxidants?
