Antioxidants 'cannot slow ageing'

Scientists from University College London found in a study that Nematode worms with enhanced antioxidant powers did not live longer compared to the normal nematodes. In 1956, it was suggested that the cause of ageing was molecular damage caused by reactive forms of oxygen, called free radicals, circulating in the body. Antioxidants apparently worked by eliminating the free radicals. However, the study involving nematode worms raises new questions.

In the study, nematode worms were genetically manipulated to eliminate the surplus of free radicals. In theory, the modifications should give them an advantage over the normal nematodes in terms of ageing and living longer. Nevertheless, the results indicate that there were not significant differences between the worms, suggesting that free radicals are not the main cause of aging. The leader of the UCL team, Dr David Gems, said: "The fact is that we don't understand much about the fundamental mechanisms of ageing - the free radical theory has filled a knowledge vacuum for over 50 years now, but it doesn't stand up to the evidence. It is clear that if superoxide is involved, it plays only a small part in the story - oxidative damage is clearly not a universal, major driver of the ageing process." According to the study, there is not clear evidence suggesting that eating antioxidants could slow or prevent ageing. Other scientists believe that the results from the study using nematodes may not be relevant to the process of aging in humans.

Sources: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7754644.stm

Javier Garza