Most researchers today would agree that eating foods that are rich in antioxidants can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart attack, and other degenerative diseases. However, much controversy still revolves around the value of antioxidants supplements and whether or not they do what they are purported to do. And once you consider this question, it is most likely that you will stumble into another issue, one that asks which antioxidants are effective for what purposes.

Most researchers today would agree that eating foods that are rich in antioxidants can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart attack, and other degenerative diseases. However, much controversy still revolves around the value of antioxidants supplements and whether or not they do what they are purported to do. And once you consider this question, it is most likely that you will stumble into another issue, one that asks which antioxidants are effective for what purposes.

When you visit any health food store or almost any drug store nowadays, you will find that at least one aisle is dedicated solely to displaying antioxidants supplement pills for purchase. Vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and E, beta-carotene and flavonoids, and trace elements like selenium, are all said to have properties that enable them to act like antioxidants that hunt down harmful free radicals in the body. As such, bottles and cartons of these vitamins and nutrients line the shelves of many a retail shelf.

According to the surveys conducted by the University of Colorado, nearly one in three Americans uses antioxidants supplements. It is clear then that the idea of the health benefits of such supplements is widely accepted. But is it based on good science? Are antioxidants supplements really good for you?

Free Radicals – The Root of Disease

There is no doubt that antioxidants have beneficial action for the body’s overall health and well-being. Antioxidants are substances in the body that work against free radicals. According to University of Colorado research, these free radicals are highly reactive groups of atoms or single atoms that have an odd number of electrons. Because they are inherently unstable, free radicals tend to make up for their instability by reacting with cells, drawing electrons away from the molecules that form cell membranes, or even reacting with cells’ DNA which could then lead to cell damage. In this way, free radicals can seriously interfere with the cell’s healthy function and reproduction.

Free Radicals and Cancer Research at the University of Colorado

The University of Colorado is among the many universities that are conducting research studies on cancer. In one University of Colorado study, findings showed that free radicals may play a role in many cancers because of the damage they do to cell DNA. The University of Colorado researchers have proposed that antioxidants might protect against lung, cervical, esophageal, stomach, and other cancers. However, clinical trial results of this University of Colorado research were found to be inconsistent with the results of other studies.