Multi Antioxidant Formula
What is a Multi Antioxidant Formula?
Antioxidants are nutrients which "quench" free radical formation which can cause cellular damage. They are compounds which prevent or inhibit others compounds from oxidation. Examples of antioxidants are vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, zinc, as well as various flavonoids and phytonutrients.
Proposed Benefits of antioxidants
Antioxidants can reduce damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals result of in oxidant stress which is believed to be implicated in the aging process and in diseases such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and cataracts. It is believed that consuming optimal amounts of antioxidant nutrients may reduce the risk of these diseases.
Oxidant stress is higher in athletes whose oxygen uptake is higher than in sedentary individuals. It is therefore proposed that antioxidants may reduce muscle damage caused by increased oxidant stress.
Mechanism of Action of antioxidants
All of the body's cells use oxygen to produce energy for their work. During these normal processes, oxygen sometimes reacts with body compounds to produce highly unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals have an unpaired electron which makes them very unstable and highly reactive. The unpaired electron needs to pair up with another electron in order to become stable. Therefore free radicals will quickly react with other compounds in an attempt to capture an electron. Generally free radicals will attack the nearest stable molecule in the body to "steal" an electron. With the loss of an electron, the stable molecule becomes a free radical itself, and a chain reaction is underway. Free radicals not only arise spontaneously, but are made on purpose by the immune system to help fight viruses and bacteria (this raises the question as to whether there is an optimal balance between free radicals and antioxidants). Also other factors such as environmental pollutants and radiation can generate free radicals.
Often the molecules that free radicals will attack include cell membranes, lipids, proteins and DNA. If free radical damage become excessive or no antioxidants are available problems develop (e.g. cell structures become damaged which impairs their function).
Free radical formation and the damage they cause are known as oxidant stress. Oxidant stress is believed to be implicated in the aging process and development of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and cataracts.
Antioxidants protect other compounds from oxidation by being oxidised itself. An antioxidant donates electrons to another substance.
Research on Multi Antioxidant Formulas
Cancer and Heart Disease
In general, clinical trials on the antioxidant vitamins E, C and beta-carotene have shown that supplementation with these nutrients do not reduce the risk of cancer or coronary heart disease in high risk individuals (1-6). A recent meta-analysis concluded that there was a lack of benefit from various doses of vitamins in diverse populations with regards to cardiovascular disease (7).
We await further clinical trials looking at the efficacy of other antioxidant nutrients in terms of heart disease and cancer.
As exercise appears to increase reactive oxygen species which can result in damage to cells, it has been suggested that antioxidants may be beneficial for those involved in strenuous exercise. Some studies have reported that supplementation with vitamins C and E and other antioxidants or antioxidant mixtures can reduce symptoms or indicators of oxidative stress as a result of exercise eg. delayed muscle soreness, reduced oxidative stress, enhanced oxidative defence (8-14). These supplements however, do not appear to enhance performance (15-23). This may be due in part to the difficulty in measuring physical performance.
Studies that have shown a beneficial of vitamin E supplementation on performance were performed at altitude, which further increases oxidative stress (24,25).
A recent study on military marines undergoing 24 days of cold-weather field training at a moderate altitude showed an increase level of oxidant stress with this type of exercise (26). There was no difference with oxidative stress in those who received an antioxidant mix (vitamin E, beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, selenium, alpha-lipoic acid, N-acetyl 1-cysteine, catechin, lutein and lycopene) and those who did not. However, it was noted that there was some indication that test subjects with initially low antioxidant capacity may have benefited from the antioxidant supplement.
Overall, supplementation with antioxidants may not enhance performance, but may be useful for reducing the effects of exercise-induced muscle damage.
Rating of Efficacy for a Multi Antioxidant Formula
It is likely that a multi antioxidant formula will most benefit those who have low antioxidant status or other micronutrient deficiencies. Antioxidant supplements may also reduce muscle damage.
- Collaborative Group of the Primary Prevention Project (PPP). Low-dose asprin and vitamin E in people at cardiovascular risk: a randomised trial in general practice. Lancet. 357:89-95, 2001.
- GISSI-Prevenzione Investigators. Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E after myocardial infarction: results of the GISSI-Prevenzione trial. Lancet. 354:447-455, 1999.
- Heart Protection Study Collaborative Group. MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of antioxidant vitamin supplementation in 20 536 high-risk individuals: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 360:23-33, 2002.
- Omenn G.S., Goodman G.E. and Thornquist M.D. Effects of a combination of beta carotene and vitamin A on lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 334:1150-1155, 1996.
- Rapola J.M., Virtamo J., Ripatti S., Huttumen J.K., Albanes D., Taylor P.R. and Heinonen O.P. Randomised trial of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene supplements on incidence of major coronary events in men with previous myocardial infarction. Lancet. 349:1715-1720, 1997.
- The Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation Study Investigators. Vitamin E supplementation and cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. N Engl J Med. 342:154-160, 2000.
- Vivekananthan D., Penn M.S., Sapp S.K., Hsu A. and Topol E.J. Use of antioxidant vitamins for the prevention of cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of randomised trials. Lancet. 361:2017-2023, 2003.
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- Dragan I., Dinu V., Mohora M., Cristea E., Ploesteanu E. and Stroescu V. Studies regarding the antioxidant effect of selenium on top swimmers. Rev Poum Physiol. 27:15-20, 1990.
- Kaminsinki M. and Boal R. An effect of ascorbic acid on delayed-onset muscle soreness. Pain. 50:317-321, 1992.
- Rokitzki L., Logemann E., Huber G., Keck E. and Keul J. Alpha-tocopherol supplementation in racing cyclists during extreme endurance training. Int J Sport Nutr. 4:253-264, 1994.
- Rokitzki L., Logemann E., Sagredos A.N., Murphy M., Wetzel-Roth W. and Keul J. Lipid peroxidation and antioxidative vitamins under extreme endurance stress. Acta Physiol Scand. 151:149-158, 1994.
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- Tessier F., Hida H., Favier A. and Marconnet P. Muscle GSH-Px activity after prolonged exercise training and selenium supplementation. Biol Trace Element Res. 47:279-285, 1995.
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- Sharman I.M., Down M.G. and Sen R.N. The effects of vitamin E and training on physiological function and athletic performance in adolescent swimmers. Br J Nutr. 26:265-276, 1971.
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- Tiidus P.M. and Houston M.E. Vitamin E status and response to exercise training. Sports Med. 20:12-23, 1995.
- Simon-Schnass I.M. and Pabst H. Influence of vitamin E on physical performance. Int J Vit Nutr Res. 58:49-54, 1988.
- Simon-Schnass I.M. Nutrition at high altitude. J Nutr. 122:778-781, 1992.
- Schmidt M.C., Askew E.W., Roberts D.E., Prior R.L., Ensign W.Y. and Hesslink R.E. Oxidative stress in humans training in a cold, moderate altitude environment and their response to a phytochemical antioxidant supplement. Wilderness & Environ Med, 2002.