Antioxidants may not be as beneficial as originally believed

Many believe that free radicals cause aging and negative health problems while antioxidants stop the free radicals and slow the aging process.

However, a new study gives evidence that this may not be the case.

The work shows that worms treated with herbicides that produce free radicals lived longer than the normal worms. To second the motion, treating the longer living worm with antioxidants would completely reverse the effect and give the ‘mutant’ worms a shorter lifespan.

The finding of the study mops the floor with the idea that popping an antioxidant pill battles the effects of aging.

From their findings, the researchers think that in certain quantities, free radicals could even be beneficial or even important in human systems, but increased levels may be harmful.

Researchers explain that tests should be conducted on mice and then eventually humans to truly recognize any risks or benefits from this type of behavior.

The researchers will also do experiments to find out how exactly the free radicals increased the life span of the worms.

Additionally, this study does not include information about the quality of life based on this free radical element, but just the extension of life.