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FeedAnti-aging Cure or Lure?
Whether or not they stop the clock, antioxidants make their mark.
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“Rich in antioxidants!” “Contains Antioxidants!” Anyone who’s read a label in the past 10 years has probably seen these proclamations slapped on everything from bottles of green tea, orange juice and multivitamins to packages of blueberries and loaves of whole wheat bread. Complicating matters further, topical lotions and creams have also begun touting their antioxidant content while claiming possible anti-aging effects.
So what’s the truth? Do these products—which claim to fight off aging, whether they’re ingested or rubbed on the skin—really work? There’s no doubt foods rich in antioxidants typically have excellent nutritional value and health benefits. But whether or not they can stave off the inevitable hasn’t been proven.
“They are good for you, but I don’t think we have any information that says they can slow down the aging process,” says Dr. Arlan Richardson, director of the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
“From the research, we’re just not in a place yet to make any specific recommendations as far as phytochemicals [antioxidants],” explains Judy Matusky, who is a registered dietitian at Bryn Mawr Hospital.
If that’s the case, then why is it that so many promises of youth surround antioxidants? This comes from a credible theory that oxidation is one of the key reasons for cell aging. Thus, it also plays a role in the body’s aging process—though it’s not wholly responsible for it.
According to a 2008 study by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), no one theory can explain why humans age. Most scientists agree that multiple factors come into play, including some that make sense to the typical layperson (genetics, cell wear and tear) and some that are more heavily science-based (the accumulation of cross-linked cells over time; endocrines and how they control aging). But according to the NIA, the theory that has inspired the marketing frenzy surrounding antioxidants holds that “accumulated damage caused by oxygen radicals causes cells, and eventually organs, to stop functioning.”
When it comes to understanding oxidation, “too much rust” may be the best analogy. “It builds up in the cells and causes problems for the individual,” Richardson says.
Ironically, the thing that sustains life—oxygen—also contributes significantly to our destruction. Here’s how it works: Within a cell, microscopic organelles called mitochondria process oxygen. As the NIA points out, “Mitochondria convert oxygen and food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an energy-releasing molecule that powers most cellular processes. In essence, mitochondria are furnaces, and like all furnaces, they produce potentially harmful byproducts. In cells, these byproducts are called oxygen-free radicals, also known as reactive oxygen species.”
Free radicals, which are also produced by the known aging agents tobacco and sunlight, go on to damage a cell membrane’s proteins and DNA. This not only contributes to aging but has also been linked to cancer, atherosclerosis, cataracts and neurodegeneration.
Complicating matters is the fact that the free radicals also have benefits. The immune and nervous systems both need them to operate. (Think of it along the lines of CO2—bad for the planet in large quantities, but still vital for life.)
