Natural News – by Arpana Sagwal Chaudhary, Ph.D.
It is deeply rooted in our psyche that antioxidants help prevent cancer, and the multi-billion-dollar food supplement industry has exploited this belief for years. One reason why antioxidants are touted to be beneficial is because they scavenge upon free radicals. The fact is, these free radicals are indeed harmful, damage cells and DNA, and cause early aging and cancer. The larger question here is what type of antioxidants are proven to be bad?
The antioxidants in question here are NOT from the natural sources but from the ones found in artificial supplements which millions of people consume on a daily basis.
Vitamins A, C and E and beta-carotene constitute the antioxidant class of vitamins. Latest research has shown that an EXCESS of synthetic antioxidants SUPPLIED THROUGH vitamin supplements causes increased cancer growth. This raises alarm because nearly ALL low-grade supplements do contain synthetic antioxidant amounts in excess of the body’s daily absorption limit. If you notice the percent daily value label on your supplement bottle, you will find the components to be in heavy excess.
Here are some facts:
A highly reputed study published in Science Translational Medicine (Jan. 2014) concluded that a diet supplemented with vitamin E and N-acetyl cysteine (a modified amino acid supplement and a drug) significantly increased rate of tumor growth, led to aggressive tumors and halved the survival rate in mice. These work by inactivating a specific gene (p53) which controlscancer growth in a normal person. Once p53 is inactivated, the antioxidant effect simply does not work. The scientists suggested that those with a high risk of developing cancers should completely abstain from antioxidant supplementation (that is any vitamin supplement).
Another research article published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings tested the effect of antioxidant use and primary cancer incidence. They concluded that beta-carotene supplements increased the cancer occurrence as well as mortality in smokers.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has conducted several prolonged human clinical trials to study the effects of antioxidant supplements. None of these trials reported any beneficial effects regarding cancer prevention. The NCI concluded, “Research in humans has not demonstrated convincingly that taking antioxidant supplements can help reduce the risk of developing or dying from cancer, and some studies have even shown an increased risk of some cancers.”
This conclusion was based upon:
Clinical Trial 1 (5- to 8-year study) — Result: Beta-carotene supplements led to increased lung cancer risk. Alpha-tocopherol showed no good/bad effect.
Clinical Trial 2 (8-year study) — Result: Vitamin A and beta-carotene increased lung cancer and death, due to which the trial was ended two years ahead of the initial schedule. Adverse effects persisted up to six years after supplementation was stopped.
What do we learn?
Our understanding that excessive nutrients provided by synthetic supplements are simply excreted is a myth. These excessive nutrients are NOT excreted harmlessly but in fact can cause havoc to our normal physiological functioning. This research gives us another reason to rely on the good old natural sources for nutrition and not on artificially synthesized supplements.
Sources for this article include:
http://science.naturalnews.com
About the author:
Dr. Sagwal has a Ph.D. in Medicinal chemistry. She has worked on the drug design and discovery of antimicrobial and anticancer agents and has published peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. With a fascination for science, nature and its medicinal powerhouse, it is her passion to share and spread the knowledge from latest scientific discoveries. The information is based upon scientific experiments, facts, analyses and peer-review. We could use it to stay healthy, keep fit, prevent diseases or simply be happy.
Dedicated to all those who want to live an aware and informed life. Cheers!!
Follow her on Twitter @DrArpanaSagwal
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/044498_vitamin_supplements_antioxidants_cancer.html#ixzz2xalqPckT
synthetic vitamins and minerals WILL kill you. However, as I understand it, plant based vitamins will not. It is important for people to understand that. This article tells us what artificial vitamins can do. Now they will say that all vitamins are harmful to your health. What do you think will happen next?
Paul,at your age,half cord a wood a day/pack of smokes and 12 pack or 1/4 pint of hard proof,works well for the old timers in our parts anyhow!They seem to have found the fountain of youth!
LOL. Fire it up !
got a light?
Hey James, we know the score man 🙂
Yes we do Bro. yes we do 😉 .
you betcha brother. you betcha. 🙂
Great info Paul (and James). I just cracked open a brew and lit up, now if I can only remember where I put my chain saw. 🙂
Great,playing the “I forgot card!”All I can say is get a real chainsaw,you’ll never forget where that unit is!
Well while I’m looking, I get to drink and smoke more 🙂
I like that part best. 🙂
Sadly I’m not playing 🙁 Memory ain’t what she used to be. 🙁
naa just grab that ax Les. 🙂
Carefull with that axe Eugene, I mean Les 🙂
Sorry, great info Paraclete, I should have said
thats better. grab another beer man. 🙂
We’ll then, I’m the youngest gal on this site. Half a pack of smokes, and a couple glasses of wine. :LOL:
No judging me, with the chemtrails, gmos and fluoride/drug induced drinking water. Smoking and drinking is the least of my worries. 🙂
Deb you’ve got that right youngin. 🙂
mmmm… wine….good 🙂 Keep young Deb 🙂
I’m trying Les, I’m trying 🙂
Codex Paul, it’s been the plan all along to ban vitamins.
Agreed Deb.
As I understand, there is a campaign going on to get people off vitamins in order to promote disease and get them on expensive medications. Also, they feed us plastic chemical laden food. So what is the difference? I’ve taken vitamins for several years and if I go a week without taking them, I get sick.
Oh, and they also want to kill off about 6 billion of us, don’t they?
Great. I thought vitamins are supposed to be good for you. Now they can be deadly too? What the hell is good for you anymore? Seriously. Why the prolong wait? Let’s just all get cancer and get it over with. This is getting ridiculous.
What the hell DOESN’T cause cancer these days?
That’s what B-17 is for.
And I’m sure that will cause cancer too, if taken enough. Who knows. Nothing is safe these days.
NC. #1 has seen people cured of cancer with B-17, and also has cured himself with it. He knows what he’s talking about. I also consume it as a preventive. Knowledge is power brother. 🙂
The source of this article “wreaks!” of disinformation. Anything “.gov” should set off all kinds of ALARMS! They want to eliminate our access to vitamins&supplements. Our food sources these days either are sprayed with cancerous poisons or are non-filler nutritionally because corporate farmers don’t rotate crops or leave fields dormant for periods of time. They’re trying to put a bill through congress, thanks to Senator Durbin!
Yes Nancy, you are absolutly right I couldn`t have said it better myself.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/nutritional-content-zmaz09jjzraw.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/19/durbin-supplement-bill.aspx