Is it just a hype about antioxidants by companies that make health products or they actually important for the body? Is there any evidence that these molecules actually helps to maintain good health and prevent cancer and other diseases.I have perfomed a little research on the clinical trials of antioxidants and i came up with very promising results that show antioxidants are indeed needed by humans inorder to lead a healthier life.

Scientists have been conducting clinical studies on antioxidants since 90’s and they found interesting things about them.

The first study published was in 1993 by a Chinese group of scientists. investigated the effect of a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium on cancer in healthy Chinese men and women at high risk for gastric cancer. The study showed a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium significantly reduced incidence of both gastric cancer and cancer overall (1).

In 1994, a study (Alpha-Tocopherol (vitamin E)/ Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC))
conducted in Finnish male smokers showed that lung cancer rates were significantly reduced by beta-carotene.(2)

In 2000, Leenan and coworkers from Netherlands investigated the effect of black and green tea consumption, with and without milk, on the plasma antioxidant activity in humans. In their study they give black and green tea to different groups of healthy males and checked their blood for the raise in the antioxidants. They observed a significant rise in plasma antioxidant activity. Addition of milk to tea did not abolish this increase of antioxidants.(3)

In 2003, a group Netherlands scientists conducted experiments to find out the antioxidant Effects of Tea. Tea remains the most consumed drink in the world after water, well ahead of coffee, beer, wine and carbonated soft drinks. High levels of flavonoids in tea can protect cells and tissues from oxidative damage by scavenging oxygen-free radicals. Clinical trials on humans with green and black tea demonstrates a significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity in humans 1 h after consumption of moderate amounts of tea (1–6 cups/d).(3)

In 2009, researchers at Hallym University in the Republic of Korea used antioxidant ellagic acid
As a topical application and studied whether it has any effect on skin wrinkles. Ellagic acid is an antioxidant found in numerous fruits, vegetables and nuts, especially raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and pomegranates. They exposed the normal hairless mice and mice that received Ellagic acid to UV light and measured wrinkle formation in both. The exposed mice that received topical application of ellagic acid showed reduced wrinkle formation.
The researchers say the results demonstrate that ellagic acid works to prevent wrinkle formation and photo-aging caused by UV destruction of collagen and inflammatory response.(5)

References:

1. Blot WJ, Li JY, Taylor PR, et al. Nutrition intervention trials in Linxian, China: supplementation with specific vitamin/mineral combinations, cancer incidence, and disease-specific mortality in the general population. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993;85:1483–91.
2. The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study Group. The effects of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers. N Engl J Med 1994;330:1029–35.
3. A single dose of tea with or without milk increases plasma antioxidant activity in humans R Leenen, A J C Roodenburg, L B M Tijburg and S A Wiseman. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2000) 54, 8792
4. Antioxidant Effects of Tea: Evidence from Human Clinical Trials1
Anton Rietveld2 and Sheila Wiseman Unilever Health Institute, Unilever Research and Development, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands J. Nutr. 133:3285S-3292S, October 2003
5. Antioxidant Found In Berries, Other Foods Prevents UV Skin Damage That Leads To Wrinkles.

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