Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

7

2

Those familiar with the work of Michael Ristow will know that caloric restriction results in dramatically extended life expectancy in C. Elegans. In his studies, he noted that antioxidant supplementation thwarted this effect.

His premise is that CR induces a hormetic effect - via oxidative stress - presumably mediated by endo-antioxidants (superoxide dismutase??). Hence antioxidant supplements interfere by limiting oxidative stress, and short circuiting hormesis.

So - it seems that one should AVOID AO supplements - particularly when following an IF regimen. Comments, please...

It seems too, that AGE production might just be the decisive factor in matters health and longevity, rather than oxidative stress per se, since it looks like the body is able to cope with that. Logically, then, aren't avoidance of fructose, keeping blood glucose levels moderately low, and IF the way to go?

Seems to fit the Paleo approach!

flag	asked Jan 6 2012 at 14:08 mindmt 1,032●1●10

1

See Cordain's latest book where he warns against antioxidant supplements, which may do what you describe. He recommends taking only fish oil and Vit D; all other, isolated vitamin and mineral supplements may not help and in fact may harm, including Paleo favorites like Selenium, Vit K2, C, etc. IF AGE is the main culprit, then we should see fuitarians not faring too well. The Q is: is it excess fructose or any level of fructose. AGE will be minimized by wiping out all fructose sources from your diet, including veggies like carrots, tomatoes, and onions. Expect another long, heated debate. – Namby Pamby Jan 6 2012 at 15:44

mindmt · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-24 12:14:24Z UTC

2

Hey folks - I found my own answers - elegantly researched by Todd Becker.

Take a look if you're interested in this topic, Todd has tackled it in his own inimitable "OCD" style.

http://gettingstronger.org/2011/03/the-case-against-antioxidants/

answered Feb 24 2012 at 12:14

mindmt
1,032●1●10

	His recorded talk on IF is great too. – PolkaAches Feb 24 2012 at 12:36
	Link? 10 more to go – Wisper Feb 24 2012 at 20:32
	To Mash - yes - excellent. The hormesis approach is convincing for me. – mindmt Feb 25 2012 at 18:29
	To Wisper - link problems? Works fine for me (just checked) – mindmt Feb 25 2012 at 18:30

Nance · Answer 2 · 2012-01-06 15:59:17Z UTC

Given that whole fruit has always been in our environment, and we may have eaten different species along the way but they were always sweet--as was honey--and that we can not make our own vitamin C I plan to continue eating a piece or two of whole fruit each day. Supplements are manufactured and processed just as junk food is and they are even more highly processed.

I agree that HFCS and eating mass quantities of fruit every day isn't good for you, just as I agree that eating only vegetables is a famine-type diet and eating only meat may just perhaps be a famine-type diet though there are people who swear they thrive on both those approaches.

I subscribe to "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" and I will continue to eat whole meat, vegetables and fruits. When I was eating a ton of fruit along with HFCS my liver enzymes were just fine--if a couple pieces of fruit can shorten my life on an ancestral eating plan then there's something wrong with the plan.

heavyarms · Answer 3 · 2012-01-06 15:49:09Z UTC

The AGE thing is definitely real. You only need to look at massive steroid abusers (and I mean, worlds-strongest-man type; big BIG guys) and then google their age (and srsly, wtf) to see the enormous impact of carb-loading.

Not sure about anti-oxidants, but it's an interesting train of thought and I'll definitely do some reading on it.

Intermittent Fasting better than antioxidants?

3 Answers