BOTTLED YOUTH
Can supplements really fight ageing's degenarative toll? Or do natural foods suffice?
By Miles Dumalagan
Correspondent
Boaner E. Medina
Photographer
Most people find the enticement of advertisements for antiageing products hard to resist. Although there are a variety of vitamin/mineral supplements available today, it is still unlikely that a pill or product can cure all of the health problems that ageing brings.
Antioxidants are represented by certain minerals, enzymes, and vitamins that protect the body by neutralizing free radicals, which are byproducts of normal cell metabolism, and are believed to contribute to certain illnesses and age-related changes. Most chronic diseases associated with the ageing process are partly caused by oxidants to cellular membranes and proteins. What are these antioxidant supplements that fight age-related diseases?
The ACE files
Vitamin A, which assists human growth and tissue differentiation, comes from plants. Carotenoids, such as beta carotene, are slowly converted to vitamin A in the body. Drugs related to vitamin A (retinoids) used to treat severe acne and psoriasis are being investigated for the prevention and treatment of certain types of cancers. Vitamin A also helps control a person's susceptibility to viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections.
However, some sources report that beta-carotene supplementation offers no protection against cardiovascular disease. Others even say that taking beta-carotene supplements may actually increase the risk of lung cancer. And so reports say that it is better to take vitamin A and beta carotene from natural sources instead of in the form of supplements.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), a water-soluble vitamin found mainly in citrus fruits, can help lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. However, it is unclear whether taking vitamin-C supplements has similar benefits as reported by the Mayo Clinic. It seems like eating more citrus fruits and drinking more citrus juices may be a more reasonable approach than taking supplements, the report posited.
Also an antioxidant, vitamin C can protect cells against damage by free radicals. In the elderly, a lower-than-normal blood level of ascorbic acid may be a sign of a generally poor diet. Taking supplements may improve this, but finding ways of improving the overall diet is the best means in improving their health status in the long run.
Vitamin E, meanwhile, offers some protection against cancer, infertility, cataracts, and Alzheimer's disease. Some sources also say that it might actually slow the development of atherosclerosis. Dr. Mara Vitolins of the Bowman Gray School of Medicine said: "It is interesting to know that a vitamin you get from fats and oils--which can cause hardening of the arteries--might actually help prevent heart problems, which have long been associated with these factors."
The book Men's Health Life Improvement Guides by Raskin and Kaufman points out that a University of Arizona Health Sciences Center study has found that this vitamin might reduce age-associated damage in both the immune and central nervous system. Another study suggests that vitamin E might help reduce lung damage due to smoking. Also, a Harvard study tracking 400,000 male health professionals over four years found that the development of heart disease in those with high levels of vitamin E in their diet is 36-percent lower than those who consumed the least amount of vitamin E.
Dr. Leandro Torres, chair of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila department of pharmacology and therapeutics, however, pointed to some dangers of excessive vitamin-E intake. He said: "Nagkaroon ng pasyente na nag-overdose kasi ang alam nila it enhances power and energy, and it boosts your beauty and vigor, especially in the elderly. Meron nang pasyente na nagkaroon ng rebound effect. So, instead of giving energy, lalong nagkaroon ng fatigue--basta lahat ng pure vitamin E."
Other vitamins and minerals
Selenium is an essential trace mineral required by the body in minute amounts. It occurs in all tissues and works with vitamin E as an antioxidant. It is found primarily in liver and seafood. This mineral is also responsible for creating an enzyme called glutathione peroxidase, which is necessary for detoxifying the body from environmental toxins.
There are claims that selenium increases the elasticity and youthfulness of the skin, removes age spots, but these reports have not been fully investigated. Selenium appears to be protective against certain types of skin cancer. Dr. Forrest Nielsen of the US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Grand Forks Human Nutrition Center said that supplementing to about 200 micrograms a day may prevent types of cancers but "higher amounts could lead to problems."
Selenium supplements can be obtained either in the form of inorganic sodium selenite, sodium selenate, or organic selenium. Organic selenium is actually the major form of nutritional selenium. Long-term use of selenite at one milligram or higher daily has toxic effects. No toxicity has been reported with organic selenium in similar doses.
Meanwhile, coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone-10) is a lipid-soluble endogenous provitamin. This antioxidant produced by the body has been observed to have effects on membrane stabilization, free-radical scavenging, and calcium-dependent slow channels.
Studies of coenzyme Q10 for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease yielded mixed results.
Coenzyme Q10, being a lipophilic provitamin, is often formulated with vegetable oil or vitamin E to help the body absorb it better. It is generally well tolerated, with no reports of serious adverse events associated with its use. Other sources say that claims that it can slow down ageing and stop the spread of cancer are unproved. However, it may hold promise as a treatment for congestive heart failure. Although its supplementation appears to be safe, it is expensive.
The B vitamins act as coenzymes that help the body metabolize food into energy and synthesize antibodies for the immune system. Vitamins B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cobalamin), and folic acid have been shown to work together to reduce levels of homocysteine in the blood.
Perhaps one of the most essential nutrients for supporting immune function is B6. It has been shown that B6 supplements can boost immunity in the elderly. People with diabetes experience less of the numbness and tingling of diabetes related nerve damage when given B vitamins, most notably B6. However, when large doses of vitamin B6 (500 mg or more a day) are taken, nerves can be damaged permanently.
Deficiencies of B12 may manifest with central-nervous-system problems like memory loss, confusion, delusion, fatigue, loss of balance, and decreased reflexes. Because the inner workings of the gut change as one grows older, a serious concern would be B12 deficiency because it requires specific gastric juices to be absorbed. Cobalamin deficiency appears to be more common among patients who have a variety of chronic neurological conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer disease, stroke, Parkinson's disease and depression, although it is unclear if these are causal relationships.
Folic acid, known as folate when found naturally in food is responsible for creating several types of amino acids, and plays an important role in cell division and protein synthesis. As a supplement, folic acid is best taken in a well balanced vitamin/ mineral formula.
There are a number of supplements that claim to be immune boosters, but Dr. Alejandro Ortigas, head of the St. Luke's Medical Center-Immunology Center said: "A true immune booster would be vaccines. I am not against the use of vitamin [supplements], but people should take them with the knowledge that this is not the solution to a weak immune system. They just say they're immune stimulants, but they don't have enough randomized controlled trials, which is the gold standard."
Before taking a supplement, it is important to seek the advice of a physician who can help decide whether the potential benefits of a product outweigh its risk.
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