Everyday I wake up and brew a nice hot cup of green tea, but do I really know what I am putting into my body? I have always been told that green tea is loaded with antioxidants which are healthful for the body. But is green tea really healthful? What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants shield the body from oxidative damaged caused by free radicals. Free radicals are formed during metabolism, sometimes by the immune system, and by environmental factors i.e. pollution and sunlight. Free radicals are basically ions missing at least one valance electron. Free radicals are highly reactive or are very likely to attach themselves to another molecule. Free radicals have been linked to certain diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, cancer, and infamous aging. Antioxidants neutralize the effects of free radicals by giving away an electron; thus stabilizing the free radical.
However, there have been some recent findings that too much antioxidant in the body has been linked to reductive stress, heart failure, fatigue, and other serious problems. Too much antioxidant would be considered consuming large amounts of supplement vitamin pills with vitamins E, C, and other antioxidants. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/uouh-rsl080707.php
I would focus on eating the recommended amount of vegetables and fruits daily, but avoid excessive supplement pills. A normal dose for vitamin E would be 20-200 units a few times a week. A normal dose for vitamin C would be 100-150mg per day. The key is to remain a healthy balance of antioxidants in the body.
I was surprised to learn that antioxidants have negative effects on the body. The public glorifies antioxidants as some sort of age defying saint; however, what is so age defying about heart failure. It just proves that anything in excess is not good for the body.
This is a really interesting post, thank you for it. I believe most nutritional concerns can be summed up with "everything in moderation."
Oxidant chemicals are actually needed by the body, but those chemicals become oxidant when there's too much of them, too.
One example -- Iron.
When the body lacks iron, it becomes anemic, causing various symptoms such as fatigue, muscle pain, and pica (cravings for inedible substances, such as paper, or items not generally meant to be eaten as-is, such as ice). On the other hand, too much iron can cause symptoms such as diabetes (from damage to the pancreas), fatigue, and heart arrhythmia.
Antioxidants don't just neutralize free radicals, they also can inhibit the absorption of oxidant substances (tea, for example, inhibits iron absorption, though Vitamin C helps iron absorption).
The key, like has already been mentioned, is moderation. Not to mention balance.
I am treated as evil by people who claim that they are being oppressed because they are not allowed to force me to practice what they do. ~D. Dale Gulledge
Excessive antioxidants can kill the immune system as well. One of your first lines of defense against invading bacteria is for a white blood cell to spit out a bunch of free radicals. Yes, it causes damage in your own body, but probably kills the bacteria in the process as well. If you have too many antioxidants, these substances will be neutralized too quickly, and you can actually get sicker than you would normally have, though your symptoms may be shorter.
Supplementation generally isn't a good thing. It can cause a whole bunch of problems from having excess nutrients, a few of which you mentioned in your blog. Overdosing on some vitamins can cause organ failure. It's much better to just eat a balanced diet and get your nutrients that way, and consult a physician if you do decide to go on supplements.
~C
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Thanks so much for the information. It seems that the curse of living in the information age that so much of our time is now spent trying to divine the essentials out of over information.