Study: Antioxidants May Be Detrimental to Muscle Function
By Donna Parker • Jan 28th, 2010 • Category: Health News, Muscle Pain
While many people take nutritional supplements with antioxidants in order to lose weight, a new study is suggesting taking too many can cause harm to a person’s muscles.
According to researchers from Kansas State University, antioxidants may be responsible for impaired muscle function. Because antioxidants can prevent or slow the oxidative damage in the body during psychical activity, findings suggest that they can be detrimental to an individual’s muscles.
Although the researchers are quick to point out that antioxidants are still healthy for an individual, too much of them may cause harm. These findings are not uncommon among other nutritional supplements, as sometimes too much of a given item can have a adverse affect.
The researchers note that antioxidants take away the hydrogen peroxide compounds that are used to help open blood vessels. This impairs to body’s ability to circulate oxygen, resulting in muscles not working properly.
"It’s really a cautionary note that before we start recommending people get more antioxidants, we need to understand more about how they function in physiological systems and circumstances like exercise," coauthor David Poole said.
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