Issue 41
Might antioxidants be the "fountain of youth"?
As we mature, there is a gradual decline in the efficiency of the body processes
which all contribute to ageing and age-related diseases. As oxidative mechanisms
may play an important role in this process, scientists have speculated that
ageing may be accelerated by an inadequate intake of essential antioxidant nutrients,
such as vitamins C & E and Carotenoids
as well as the trace minerals Zinc
and Selenium.
It has been found that micronutrient intake and status are often deficient
in elderly subjects, probably as a result of a poor diet and physiological changes
which occur as we age. Current recommendations for the elderly only take into
account the amount of a particular nutrient required to prevent a deficiency
in 95% of the population, not the amount which may offer protection against
age-related diseases such as Arthritis,
heart disease etc. In conclusion, the authors of this latest research state
that, "combined supplementation with antioxidant trace elements and vitamins
could be the best way to prevent accelerated ageing and age-related diseases."
Proceedings of the Nutritions Society, 1999, 58;2:573-578
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