Antioxidant Revolution

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Dr. Cooper was one of the first noted fitness experts to recommend people start taking high doses of the antioxidant vitamins beta-carotene (the precursor to vitamin A), vitamin C, and vitamin E, along with the mineral selenium. He recommends taking levels that are several times the RDA for these nutrients.

Cooper cites many scientific studies that show high does of these antioxidants reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. However, this book was originally published in 1994, and more recent studies have not given unqualified support to these earlier studies. In fact, more recent studies have been mixed.

Some studies do show that taking antioxidants reduce risk, but other studies show there is no effect. I summarize many of these studies in a chapter on supplements in my book "Creationist Diet: Nutrition and God-given Foods According to the Bible." My conclusion is that there is some evidence for the benefit of taking antioxidants, but it is not clear-cut as Cooper makes it out to be. There may or may not be any benefit to the practice.

Further clouding whether to take these supplements is the risk of side effects. Fortunately, Cooper does list possible side effects one might experience.

Another issue that Cooper does not address is the cost factor. Vitamin C is rather inexpensive and vitamin E and selenium moderately so, but beta-carotene tends to be rather expensive. And beta-carotene is the antioxidant with the least evidence supporting it.

Given the split evidence, I would say that if money is tight, one should spend their money on healthy food, not supplements. It is foods like fruits and vegetables that have unqualified evidence for their health benefits. And Cooper does include information on what foods are highest in the antioxidants and how best to prepare them to retain the nutrients. And my book provides further details on what foods help to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and strokes.

As for myself, I have tried taking antioxidants in the amounts Cooper recommends, but I ended up with some of the side effects he mentions. I even tried taking different brands and forms of each nutrient and still had problems. So I simply don't bother with them anymore and focus on eating a healthy diet instead.

The prudent reader will consider the Institute's report before joining Dr. Cooper's revolution...