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• Housecall
• Alzheimer's caregiving
• Living with cancer

• February 4, 2010 5:50 p.m.

  Thank you both and the Mayo Clinic site as well. I did a search on antioxidants as well as probiotics and it's incredibly generous of you to provide such sensible advice. I thought I'd have to sift through many pages before finding some clear guidance, but it was one stop shopping! I think you probably saved me a lot of money, too. Thanks again.

  - Josh

• January 25, 2010 2:04 p.m.

  What do you call "a serving" ? Raw or cooked? Are raisins considered a fruit? What are their value?

  - marion bernstein

• January 21, 2010 10:39 a.m.

  Thank you for this helpful information. I appreciate your closing comment that we should probably focus more on a healthful diet. Unfortunately, the American way seems to be to take a pill for the quick fix. Simply because an agent appears to have activity in the lab does not always translate into human benefit. I am a PhD student in public health and doing research on CAMs, especially dietary and herbal supplements. What the general public doesn't seem to appreciate is the amount of inter- and intra-supplement variability of ingredients (not to mention the amount of harmful metal contaminants). Does Mayo have a active campaign to encourage patients to talk openly with their pracitioners about use of supplements?

  - Jennifer

• January 4, 2010 7:17 p.m.

  While it is best to get our nutrients from food sources, our American diets are filled with anti-nutrients. Many foods we consume deplete nutrients and antioxidants from our bodies. So unless your diet is nearly perfect I believe it is OK to supplement, but it should be targeted to your body's specific needs. It may not be a good practice to generalize that we all should take or not take a specific nutrient.

  - Steve

• December 31, 2009 3:56 p.m.

  About 10 years ago I met a Dr. who supv a 10-yr fighting cancer thru nuitrition research sponsored by MD Anderson. He emphasized the most important discovery was that the body will only assimilate a vitamin when it is ready to! Ondrox, a multi-vitamin stays in the body 8+ hours, not the normal 20 min.

  - bernie

• November 24, 2009 10:54 p.m.

  Present age 90 Last May I have eaten Vegetables and fruit regularly. I have had Oatmeal with Ground flax for Breakfast,for many years, 100% whole wheat bread. I have taken Vitamin "E". My Cholesterol is normal. I have not had any Heart problems. I live alone, and take care of my own place. I drive my car. I have both hips replaced and get around with no assistance. I do spend time on computer.

  - Earl

• October 13, 2009 10:29 p.m.

  Due to stress,radiation from the sun, enviromental pollution and depletion of nutrients in our food supply,the cells in our body are being attacked by free radicals so we need to take antioxidants to counteract the damaging affects of free- radicals.In NZ there is no selenium in our soils.I believe the average person's diet does not supply the nutrition we require for good health. Reg Nurse with interest in nutrition.

  - Judy

• September 28, 2009 1:39 a.m.

  My mother was right! Eat your fruits and veggies; get plenty of exercise and sleep! She should know--she's 86 and an amazing specimen of physical health and strength, and sharper than many I know in their 60s. Yes, she spent most of her life eating "pure" food, working outdoors, etc....a lifestyle most of this generation has not even had opportunity to experience. But she overcame her genetics also by her lifestyle; my grandfather died of a massive heart attack at 45 and my grandmother succombed to cancer in her 50s (I never knew either one of them) I still believe that the "fuel" we put into this marvelous piece of machinery is the key to our health! (and of course the exercise we do) Fruits and vegetables are expensive, but what is your health worth? Many people do not realize how much they are spending on their junk food, soda, alcohol, caffe-lattes, and all of that every day. Also, a piece of fruit is just as easy to grab as a bag of chips. As my husband and I move through these mid-life years, we are grateful for the examples we had of healthy eating and living. Yes, we take multi-vitamins, C, calcium, fish oil, but, more importantly, we try to eat well and exercise. Many people often comment on how trim and young we look. Well, it takes a little more exercise and a little less food these days, but we will continue these disciplines. We only have this one body!

  - Michelle

• September 23, 2009 5:31 a.m.

  @Michael - this research doesn't involve original investigation because it is a meta-analysis: it grades and analyzes previous research in a field according to predefined criteria. As such, these are very useful exercises. To dismiss it as "just the opinion of ..." is to miss the point entirely.

  - Triath

• September 1, 2009 7:57 a.m.

  The thing to notice about this "research" is that it doesn't involve any original investigation itself: it's just the opinion of Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, and Gluud C.

  - Michael

• August 15, 2009 11:12 a.m.

  Very interesting information about the effects of antioxidant supplements beta carotene, and vitamins A and E actually (possibility) increasing the risk of death.

  - Harlon

• July 20, 2009 10:50 a.m.

  Is the same concluded from drinking products that claim to be made from fruit and vegetable extracts? My poor mother is tormented that, had she bought and faithfully consumed this product a year before she was diagnosed with colon cancer, it would never have happened. Now, she thinks her hair is falling out excessively (not from chemo, and it looks abundant to us) , and her friend who sells the product responds to an email re hair loss with these impressive reports: This morning I received a call from our Company, XXX, and the V. President in one of his messages said -- "we all know that one of the benefits of taking XXXX is hair growth and fingernail growth." So, there is your answer right from our Company. As you might remember, XXXX has profound research that shows: After 7 days your free radicals go way down. Your antioxidants go way up (this is important because if we don't neutralize free radicals, they destroy good cells and, according to Dr. Richard DuBois, when DNA cells become mutated is when people are diagnosed with cancer, that dreaded disease. Your DNA is less damaged by 66% after 80 days of consuming XXXX. Your homocysteine goes way down and you want it under 7. Your immune system becomes normalized, which means your T cells and B cells start functioning like they were designed to function. My mother believes all of this; how can I disprove these nebulous claims?

  - Terri

• May 9, 2009 9:32 a.m.

  How do you measure 1 serving of fruit or veggie? 1/4 cup? Isn't liquid calcium and coral or methylcrystalline calcium the most absorbable? Isn't oxalate excreted or harmful due to cooking [eg: as in spinach, etc.]? Finally, due to poor soil, pesticides and inorganic fruits/veggies, we need the boost from supplements...also due to declining health or enzyme and probiotic levels, as we age. So.. purest one can afford is best: EG: liquid and organic when possible, and/or fruit & vegie powders. Do you agree? My health has GREATLY improved on a 90% vegan diet w/supplements and exericise and above all, prayer and intimacy w/God. Have overcome osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, indigestion [GERD], morning fog, all of which were ongoing but have reversed. Instead of increasing with age, they've diminished. I also do veg. juicing but not consistently. I'm 69 years strong. Thankfully, the past five years into above measures have brought me these results.

  - Gina

• March 30, 2009 12:10 p.m.

  Pretty much everyone agrees that it's healthier to eat real food than to take supplements. If we would eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, there's little doubt we'd be healthier than if we eat few and take supplements instead. The trouble is, most people don't. Despite good intentions, and New Year resolutions, and nutritionist advice, and medical advice, and so on, most of us don't eat enough F&V to meet our nutritional needs. For the last couple of years I've been using a product called Juice Plus which seems to represent an intermediate step. It's simply powdered extracts of fruits ("Orchard Blend"), vegetables ("Garden Blend"), and berries (I forget what they call that one). According to the mfr this stuff isn't a supplement or a drug; the FDA classifies it as a food. Yes, it's dried stuff in capsules, rather than real F&G -- even the mfr says the real stuff is better -- but given the realities of the way most of us eat, it seems a reasonable compromise. Compared to supplements, it would seem likelier to retain more of the complexity of different antioxidants interacting with one another that Nelson and Zeratsky point out. I've checked out several of the published studies of efficacy cited by the mfr, and they seem credible enough, but of course a half-dozen relatively small studies can't tell the whole story. I sniffed around the net and couldn't find any negative info about Juice Plus. I wonder if the authors here, or anyone else

  - Dale Freeman

• March 12, 2009 3:54 p.m.

  I had prostate cancer surgery and took Selenium. My cancer support site states that there are several studies that show positive results for the "yeast" versions of selenium. The recent article that discounted selenium was evaluating a specific type. A agree that eating right is the best solution. But I also think that we must look closely at the various "studies" and and keep their results in context.

  - Tim

• March 9, 2009 12:30 p.m.

  along with natural antioxidents, say for instance a blueberry, comes a "higher power" philosophy of who or what created us and the food we eat. The blueberry has a balance of chemicals, which trigger multiple chemical reactions in our body at the same time. We do not, as we never will, really completely know about use of all of these chemical reactions and all of the digestive responses that happen under all diferent conditions of health. I think taking one or two chemicals from this and applying their usefulness is inappropriate. If you just go out and pick or buy some blueberries, and eat them, your body would automatically take what it needs. Using one refined supplement may throw other chemical requirements off in the body, and it may then wrongly take or not take something out of the next thing we eat. Then it won't take the good part of the carrot in your lunch because receptors are blocked by mistake. We have to learn that all we have to do is eat the food, preferably not treated with antimicrobials and chemicals,and we not only get the right balance when we need them, but they actually taste good. beats the vitamin taste. everyone has the right to choose their own lifestyle so don't force your beliefs on someone else. just make them aware that you simply don't need science to get the benefits of a blueberry, just eat it. Our science didn't create blueberries, and everyone knows they are good for you

  - rickymouse

• March 6, 2009 2:20 p.m.

  What about other AntOxidants that are hitting the news -- like Resveratrol. Personally the benefits seem great, but I have no plan to gulp down a liter of red wine every night. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/25/60minutes/main4752082.shtml

  - Kayla

• March 4, 2009 5:09 p.m.

  Interesting read... but I'm sure they have "some" positive effects. Some companies push AntiOxidants on you just for profits -- brilliant! In case, the Acai Berry. It's the rage right now and companies are making millions off of it. There's still not enough research out there to prove its effectiveness. There are indeed other AntiOxidants out there that have a high ORAC value then Acai. (ORAC = is way for consumers to measure the “antioxidant power” of a product or a chemical substance. Found this interesting comment on Oprah.com -- this makes me wonder: Consumers should be aware that Oprah Winfrey is not associated with nor does she endorse any açaí berry product or online solicitation of such products. Attorneys for Harpo are pursuing any companies that claim such an affiliation.

  - BostonAle

• February 11, 2009 11:49 a.m.

  I agree with my new post friend Mr. Gee. Carotenoids include more than Vitamin E and A which seems to be the only ones studied. As our foods in America lack sufficient nutritious content I am not confident with the negative information put out by JAMA and choose to look at other quite valid studies which contradict completely the article on this prestigious site. There is a device out now produced by Pharmanex that uses Raman Spectroscopy to give a person an antioxidant score. While many supplement products are of no value there are companies producing quality supplements that do increase the antioxidant levels in tissue. I too, will stay away from the medical community who seems only to go after symptoms and not the causes.

  - David Halseth

• February 8, 2009 10:15 p.m.

  Thank you for the question. Antioxidants are at the height of the media. So how can one make an intelligent decision? Before making any decision, let's start with some questions. Beta carotene is a precurser to vitamin A. What is the difference? Can too much beta carotene harm one? Or is the excess excreted? Basic premise: adults do not get enough fruits and veggies, ie., antioxidants. What happens if you take a supplement with a USP and GMP rating? And it is balanced in terms of all the vitamins and minerals one the cell needs? I fully understand the premise of getting nutrients from food. But that is NOT in todays reality for most of us. I teach high school health and fitness. Student data: 1 fruit / day average. 1 veggie / day average. In one class, 47% of those veggies was in the form of potato chips or french fries. So back to the basics: what to do. Today people are trying to "survive" financially,parents are uneducatued in nutrition, and "quick and fast" for meals is the norm. At this point, I focus getting my students to JUST EAT 3 TIMES A DAY let along 5 or 6. And the nutriton part. Forget it. Survival is at the basis. So my question is simple: what does the Mayo Clinic advise for these students. Should they take a balanced supplement or not. Keep it simple. Any input would be welcomed. Eric Linscheid Kodiak High School Teacher

  - Eric Linscheid

• February 5, 2009 7:29 a.m.

  It is hard to say everything that needs to be said about supplements in one short article. Thus, I appreciate the opportunity to share postings. I believe we should try to get all our nutrients from foods when possible. When we rely on pills we miss the opportunity to get, not only the multiple forms of the nutrients mentioned in the article, but the fiber too. The typical American diet is too low in fiber and then we take a pill to correct that too. Nutrition is a young science. We should be cautious about being so quick to jump on the band wagon of new ideas. Let’s stick with a variety of whole fresh foods and indulge in the pleasure of eating!

  - Janet

• February 3, 2009 12:23 p.m.

  I came across a study done in 1992 at the Earth Summit Report by the World Health Assoc. reported on the decline of nutritional minerals in farm and range soils over the last 100 years (in North America the depletion was 85%). 70% of doctor visits in the USA are due to nutritional deficiency. So the questions is, "Isn't this telling you that have to use an alternative"? And that was then, it's 12 years later........ I do think there should be a balance between food and supplements, obviously healthier eating habits plays a big roll.

  - Dee

• February 1, 2009 11:30 a.m.

  We are guinea pigs for the pharmaceutical companies. They don't want us to take supplements. Each person's immune system is different. How can a doctor know what will be good for his patient? It is all guess work. If you can't be sure it is right for the patient, why prescribe it? Money? I believe prescribed chemicals can be and are detrimental to our health. As we hear on TV, "Ask your doctor if you can take this med and ask if it is right for you, but be aware, it can cause stroke, heart attacks, bleeding, suicidal tendencies, etc." How many of us want to try the med just to find out if we are the one who will be able to tolerate it. How dumb do they think we are? Chemicals can contribute to disease rather than being a disease preventative. If it helps in one way it can start something else that may shorten the lifespan that much more. Television ads are expensive and hawking medications as if they are selling candy and/or toys to children indicates one thing...those companies are using our health problems for their personal gain. I am for supplements. By using vitamin supplements we are taking preventative measures. Give me back the kind of medical community that has the patient's health its first priority. Ha! That will never happen. Greed is the manager here.

  - Betty Schultz

• January 31, 2009 10:00 a.m.

  my downsyndrome daughter is 43 and 25 yrs.after a blood transfusion, she now has full blown HCV. Mayo clinic/the Liver Foundation and HCV foundation suggest anti-oxidents for HCV which I am giving her, and have been since the HCV was diagnosed last January. I do not know how her liver is faring right now, her appointment is not for a few more weeks, but yesterday I noticed how "pink" she was and colour in her cheeks. She gets her yogurt everyday, cottage cheese,(all lite) she gets grapes, cherries, fresh fruit, veggies, low fat meats, etc. , She also gets Milk Thistle. she gets tired very quickly, but that has nothing to do with vitamins. We will know soon enough if it has helped the liver, but in the meantime, I will stick to the anti-oxidents , thank you. I was a dietician's assistant and nutrition is a science, one theory today and another tomorrow. Depends alot on where one gets their education . If we agree with everything you guys tell us,perhaps we would all be dead sooner than necessary and we are dead soon enough. Everyone's immune system is different and therefore you cannot catagorize what we should or should not take . I am sure most of us are educated enough that we can fend for ourselves when it comes to healthy eating and whether or not we want, need or can afford vitamins. I really think you have gone overboard this time with your prognosis with the anti-oxidents.

  - margaret

• January 30, 2009 9:28 p.m.

  The info in JAMA saying that beta cartoene enhances death is scary for me. I have the wet version of macular degeneration and am taking 'PreserVision', a vitamin that studies show greatly slow the progression of macular degeneration. It contains 14,230 IU of beta carotene and I have to take it twice a day! What say you?

  - Annette