Go easy on the vitamins if you want to stay healthy, warns a report published
last week by the Institute of Medicine, part of the US National Academy of
Sciences. The report reviews all the evidence on antioxidants, mainly vitamin C,
vitamin E, selenium and carotenoids. Antioxidants mop up highly reactive free
radicals in cells before they can damage tissue and DNA. But “very large
quantities” can cause health problems such as diarrhoea, internal bleeding and
hair loss, says Norman Krinsky, chair of the panel. The panel says that two
glasses of orange juice a day supply enough vitamin C,…
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
A quantum state that lasts forever may finally be within our grasp
2
Remarkable fossils rewrite the story of how animals conquered the land
3
Has the answer to life's origins been hiding in our cells all along?
4
Can prebiotics, probiotics or postbiotics help your ageing microbiome?
5
Our brains have their first thoughts surprisingly early in life
6
Almost the whole of Japan moved eastward after 2011 earthquake
7
How I used psychology to come back from the worst year of my life
8
The secrets to keeping your brain sharp in old age
9
Cervical cancer deaths have plummeted thanks to HPV vaccine
10
Autism may have two distinct subtypes that vary by brain activity
