[Acb-diabetics] Free Radicals Can Help? (fwd)

[Christopher Gray]

Could Free Radicals Be Good for Us?

Such an assertion flies in the face of everything we read today.  We are
constantly bombarded with articles and advertisements promoting
antioxidant vitamins and nutritional supplements.  We are advised to take
these in order to rid our bodies of free radicals and avoid their very
harmful effects.

An then, here comes a bombshell out of left field.  It's a research study
from a journal entitled Cell Metabolism and highlighted by Scientific
American's "60-second Science" podcast that appears to suggest people with
diabetes might stop using antioxidants because free radicals help muscle
cells respond to insulin.

Talk about a catch 22!  On the one hand, we are told to rid ourselves of
free radicals because they cause cancer and heart disease, and that's just
what's at the top of the list.  Now, it is suggested that people with
diabetes, people who have significantly higher odds for heart disease,
should hang onto their free radicals in order to make insulin more
effective?

Personally, I plan to take very much of a wait-and-see approach to this
study.  One study on rats just isn't enough to convince me.  I'd rather
not trade free radical damage just yet for possible theoretical benefits.
This is, however, something to watch and good knowledge to have.

To get the article and podcast, visit:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=antioxidants-diabetes-connection-09-10-12